The Bone Eater's Well
by Pardon Me Genderless-Crumpet
Summary: Kurama goes to visit his cousin Kagome's house. He ends up being dragged back in time with her as he mistakenly attempts to save her when she jumps down the bone eater's well. Now he joins Kagome and her friends on their adventure to find the Shikon jewel shards. But on the way, Kurama meets some rather familiar characters. KagInu, KuraHiei, YokoInu, YokoSessh
1. Chapter 1

**Original Author:** MissTuffcy.

**Adopted By**: Pardon Me Genderless-Crumpet

**Original Author's Notes:**

**Shiori** calls Kurama Shu-kun and calls Shuichi – Shuichi-kun.

**Kurama** calls Shuichi - Shu-kun.

**Kagome** calls Kurama Shu-kun when Shuichi is in the room or just plain Shuichi whenever they're alone or when Shuichi isn't in the room.

**Kazuya** calls his son Shu-kun and calls Kurama Shuichi but he calls both of them son at times.

_When it is kind of in the __**POV of Kagome**__, I will refer to Kurama as Shuichi since Kagome doesn't know about his other half._

**_Notes will be repeated in each chapter to thwart confusion._**

Summary: Kurama goes to visit his cousin Kagome's house. He ends up being dragged back in time with her as he mistaken attempt to _save _her when she jumps down the bone eater's well. Now he joins Kagome and her friends on their adventure to find the Shikon jewel shards. But on the way, Kurama meets some rather familiar characters.

Warning: Language, AR, OOC, Yaoi

**Chapter 1: **

Emerald green eyes groggily opened at the feeling of being shaken. The owner of said eyes looked up to see Kazuya shaking him awake. The older man was currently standing outside of the backdoor of the car. They had taken a trip to visit Shiori's sister. Kurama closed his eyes back, he didn't feel like getting up. He wasn't able to sleep during the ride over there because he couldn't fall asleep in a moving vehicle. "C'mon Shu-kun..." Kazuya mumbled, shaking Kurama again. Kurama grumbled something sleepily and swatted at Kazuya's hand. Kazuya sighed and looked at Shiori. She managed to get little Shuichi up and walking. Looking at Kazuya, she chuckled and shook her head. Kazuya grumbled something about lazy teenagers before pulling Kurama out of the car. Kurama gasped and his eyes flew open as he thought he was going to hit the floor. Kazuya grunted and held Kurama up bridal style. Kurama frowned sleepily at Kazuya.

"Meh..." Kurama grunted, pushing at Kazuya's chest. Kazuya glared at the sleepy fox in human guise. He set Kurama on the ground and had to catch him when he took a step and went plunging to the ground.

"Kazuya." Shiori tsked. Kazuya looked up at Shiori, who was carrying bags. "I already got our bags in the house."

"Shuichi won't wake up..." Kazuya mumbled. Kurama was leaning against Kazuya fast asleep.

"He must have been really tired." Shiori said, looking a bit worried. "Shu-kun, honey?" Shiori reached over and felt his forehead. Slapping his cheek gently, she smiled when Kurama's eyes opened half way. "We have to get inside now." Kurama grumbled something incoherent._ Can't a fox be lazy sometimes?_

* * *

Kurama yawned and sat up. Feeling something roll off him, he looked next to him to see Shuichi. He furrowed his brow in confusion and looked around. He threw his feet over the bed and stood, stretching as he made his way to the door and opened it just to walk into his cousin. "Oh! Shuichi-kun! I was just coming to see if you were awake!" Kagome said with a grin. Kurama smiled at her.

"I just woke up. Shu-kun is still sleep though." Kurama said looking over his shoulder.

"My mom just finished breakfast!" Kagome grinned. Kurama nodded with a smile. He walked past her and down the hall.

* * *

At the breakfast table, Kagome was quickly stuffing her face. She seemed to be in a hurry to leave, but to where, Kurama wasn't too sure. She finished her food and placed the chopsticks down. Kurama, Shuichi, Shiori, and Kazuya were staring openly at Kagome. "Um...What's the rush, Kagome-chan?" Kurama asked slowly. Kagome grinned sheepishly at him.

"Well you see...um..." She looked at her grandfather then back at Kurama and his family. "I have to get ready for my plane!" She explained. Kurama raised an eyebrow.

"Plane? For where?" Shiori asked.

"I'm going to America!" She said. Shiori smiled.

"Really? My Shu-kun has gone to America a few times to study!" Shiori said proudly. She smiled at Kurama who smiled back at her, albeit weakly.

"That's so cool!" Kagome smiled widely. "When I come back, we can share tales!" Kurama nodded. Kagome jumped up but leaned over to her grandpa. "I'm going back." She whispered to him lowly, but since Kurama had such sensitive ears, he heard her clearly. _Going back where?_ Kurama placed his chopsticks down.

"You're done already?" Kazuya asked with a frown. He glanced into Kurama's bowl. "You hardly touched anything!" Kurama's frown deepened.

"I'm not really that hungry. Excuse me." He said and stood. He walked out the way Kagome went. Shiori smiled apologetically to Nodoka.

"I'm sorry, Nodoka. He hasn't had much of an appetite lately. I've tried to get him to eat but...I can't really force him." Shiori sighed sadly.

"It's alright, Shiori." Nodoka smiled. "Sota, little Shuichi, are you guys finished?" They both nodded.

"Why don't you two go play?" Kazuya said with a smile. The two boys grinned and nodded. They jumped up and ran out the room.

"Let's go find Buyo first!" Sota exclaimed.

* * *

Kurama sighed as he walked around the back. He looked down at his hands with a frown. Lately, he had felt his yokai fluctuating. Sometimes it'd be completely gone and at another point it would be high enough to attract demons for a challenge. Hiei had bailed him out a few times when that happened. He'd gone Koenma to maybe look up something but the godling wasn't able to find anything useful for him. He had Yukina look him over and she didn't find anything wrong. "What is wrong with me..." Kurama grumbled as he banged his head on the tree in front of him. He stood up straight when he caught sight of Kagome standing on the ledge of the Well inside of the small shrine on the side of the house. He frowned slightly. "What is she doing over there?" His eyes widened when Kagome suddenly tipped forward. Kurama launched himself forward as fast as he could. He caught Kagome by the back of her shirt but she still fell forward and dragged him down with her. He let out a shocked gasp. Kagome's eyes were wide.

"Shuichi!" She exclaimed. Kurama's vision began to blur. He was feeling dizzy. The last thing he heard was Kagome shouting his name again before everything went dark.

* * *

Kurama groaned as he sat up. His head was splitting; it felt as if Hiei was forcing his way into his mind with the Jagan. Kurama froze as he looked around. It appeared he was at the bottom of the well still, but he didn't see any sign of Kagome. "Kagome-chan?" Kurama called. He stood up but almost fell back as the world decided to shift on him. Shaking his head, he placed a hand to the wall of the well to balance himself. He looked up and his eyes widened. '_Why can I see the sky and not the ceiling?' _He began to panic. He could have sworn the ceiling was brown wood not blue open sky. "Kagome-chan!" Kurama shouted a tad bit of hestirics creeping into his tone. Was it just him or did the walls suddenly shift closer? His ever increasingly panicky gaze landed on a vine that grew on the wall of the well. It was right near is hand! Why hadn't he noticed it before? _**It might have been due to your sudden panic attack!**_Kurama froze. Did he just verbally attack himself? Shrugging off the voice, he tugged on it a few times before climbing up it. When he reached the top he froze. This was not his aunt's house at all. In fact, it seemed like he was in the makai. '_This can't be the Makai. The sky is not blue there. The sky here looks like I'm still in the human world.' _He was thinking about calling Kagome again but thought against it.

He was in an unfamiliar place and he didn't want to draw attention to himself. He sat down against the well and placed his head in his hands. His head was still hurting and he still felt a bit dizzy. '_What the hell happened?' _

* * *

***A bit earlier***

Kagome landed on her feet and looked up. She made it. Immediately, her attention snapped to the unconscious redhead at her feet. Her eyes widened tremendously. "Sh-Shuichi!" She cried in shock. She knelt down next to him and shook him. When he didn't move, she placed two fingers to his neck and gave a sigh of relief. At least he was still. She frowned. How in the world did he manage to fall down with her? She didn't think it was possible for anyone else to go back into time but her - but then again, Shuichi was apart of her family. She crossed her arms as another thought crossed her mind. '_How am I going to get both of us up the well...' _She snapped her fingers. She'd have to quickly make it to the village - she knew Inuyasha and the others were waiting for her so she would have to tell Inuyasha to help her bring Shuichi up. She frowned as she stared down at him. He was going to be so freaked when he woke up. She sighed and climbed up the vine to hop out the well. '_Hopefully he doesn't freak out too badly,'_

* * *

***Present-Past***

Kagome was on Inuyasha's back as he ran back towards the bone eater's well. Kagome pointed. "There he is! Oh! He must be so confused right now!" Kagome frowned. She jumped off of Inuyasha and the hanyou skidded to a stop.

"Ka-"

"Stay here Inuyasha. I don't want to scare him anymore right now!" Kagome said firmly before she ran the rest of the way to Shuichi.

* * *

Kurama slowly pulled his hands away from his face as he heard hurried footsteps. "Shuichi!" He looked up at Kagome in confusion. She dropped to her knees in front of him. "Are you alright, Shu-kun?" Kurama stared at her a for a moment. Kagome's worry increased as her cousin continued to stare at her blankly. The blank stare - unbeknownst to Kagome - was just Kurama thinking and berating himself on not being alert enough to feel anyone approaching. _What is wrong with me? _

"Where are we, Kagome?" Kurama finally asked, breaking his silent staring contest with his cousin. He had closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the well. Kagome sighed what Kurama believed was relief but then sighed again which sound more forlorn than before. _**How can you even tell the difference? They both just sound annoyed.**_Kurama frowned but didn't respond.

"You're not going to believe this, but, we're in feudal era japan." She said. That got Kurama's attention. His eyes snapped open and he stared at Kagome.

"What?"

"When demons existed." Kagome said. She turned slightly and motioned someone over. Kurama's gaze snapped over to the white haired dog demon who approached them, a scowl on his face. "This is my friend, Inuyasha! He's a demon." _**That? A Demon? Yeah right...**_Kurama gripped his head and groaned. Kagome frowned and placed her hands on Kurama's shoulders. "Are you alright?" Kurama gripped his head tightly.

"I have a really bad headache..." Kurama mumbled. _**That's not the only thing you have? When was the last time you ate? A century ago? I'm starving!**_ Kagome helped him up. She looked at Inuyasha.

"Can you carry him please..." Kagome begged. Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"What am I, a damn horse?" Inuyasha grumbled irritably. _**More like a pack mule, but hey! Who is judging?**_Kurama's eyebrow twitched. Kagome squeaked as Inuyasha grabbed her and flung her over his shoulder and the same to Kurama who had fallen unconscious.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed as the inu-hanyou took off from the ground to bound through the trees.

* * *

Kagome looked over Shuichi with a frown. She brushed away the loose strands of hair that fell in his face. She sighed. She turned her head slightly when she heard someone come into the hunt. It was Lady Kaede and Sango. She frowned and stood. She smoothed down her skirt and walked over to them. "What's wrong with him?"

"There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with him." Kaede said, staring over at Shuichi. Kagome frowned as she stared at her cousin. "It may just be stress." Kaede held up a bowl. "Give this to the boy. This should calm – if not get rid of - his headache." Kagome took the bowl and watched Kaede leave the hut. She turned back to Shuichi when she heard a muffled groan.

"Shu-kun!" She exclaimed as she made her way back over to the red head. Shuichi looked up at her with a frown.

"Kagome...Where are we?...Again..." He mumbled the last part. Kagome sweat dropped as she watched her cousin's eyes dart around the hut.

"Well...you see..."

* * *

Kurama slowly sat up and ran a hand through his hair. He frowned when Kagome handed him a bowl. "What is this?" _**Obviously its a bowl.**_

"This will help you with your headache!" Kagome said with a smile. Kurama warily looked over Kagome.

"Is this some sort of weird dream?" Kurama asked. Kagome frowned and shook her head.

"What do you remember?" Kagome asked.

"I remember...coming over to your house, waking up for breakfast...Taking a walk...You jumping down a well...I tried to grab you but I ended up fallng in with you." Kurama's eyes widened. "I fell and hit my head." Kurama came to a conclusion. "I'm either in a coma or hallucinating!" _**Yeah, that makes a ton of sense. What about the voice in your head that you continue you ignore, huh? Is it the people on the outside at your bedside talking to you? Or have you finally lost it?**_Kurama's eyes narrowed slightly as Sango chuckled. Sango walked over to sit next to Kagome.

"He is really related to you. He over-exaggerates things just like you." Sango said with a grin. Kagome pouted and crossed her arms. She shook her head and proclaimed loudly:

"I do not over-exaggerate things!" She instantly sobered up and her pout was replaced with a small frown. "But he's not usually like this...I think he really must of hit his head on the way down." Kagome said with a nod.

"That explains the headaches..." Kurama mumbled just as Kagome said it.

"Drink up that stuff and rest some more. Tomorrow we're going to head out!" Kagome said.

"Head out to where, exactly?" Kurama asked with a frown.

"Going back to the well to take you home." Kagome said with a nod. Kurama's frown deepened.

"Take me home? What about you?"

"I have to stay here and help Inuyasha and everyone else find the rest of the pieces of the shikon jewel." Kagome said. Kurama furrowed his brows. _Where have I heard of this Shikon Jewel..._ _**Only eerywhere in the stinking Makai! All those damned texts you stole and you still don't remember the stories of the Shikon no Tama?**_Kurama frowned. Ignoring the voice, he exclaimed:

"I'm not leaving without you!"

"Shuichi, its too dangerous to stay here. You have to go home." Kagome frowned. Kurama glared at her.

"I'm staying." Kurama responded firmly. Kagome sighed.

"Fine...Inuyasha won't be too happy about this..." Kagome mumbled.

"He's never happy about anything that's not food or fighting." Sango muttered back. _**And who can we compare this Inuyasha character to, huh? Someone you know, right?**_Kurama's frown deepened. Who was the voice talking about? Who could be compared to this Inuyasha? Should he know this character?


	2. Chapter 2

**Original Author's Notes:**

**Shiori** calls Kurama Shu-kun and calls Shuichi – Shuichi-kun.

**Kurama** calls Shuichi - Shu-kun.

**Kagome** calls Kurama Shu-kun when Shuichi is in the room or just plain Shuichi whenever they're alone or when Shuichi isn't in the room. _When it is kind of in the __**POV of Kagome**__, I will refer to Kurama as Shuichi since Kagome doesn't know about his other half._

**Kazuya** calls his son Shu-kun and calls Kurama Shuichi but he calls both of them son at times.

**Shuichi **calls Kurama Shuichi-nii.

_._

**Btw about the time space continuum thing:**

I had put some thought into it and that was what the original chapter 3 was about. Kurama asking about the past and what was the exact time they were in. Of course it doesn't have to be linked to Youko's past life because technically they never said from what time a thousand years ago that he had been Youko and that he'd been hunted down. And of course there is the thing that back here there was no separation from demon word, spirit world, or the human world. All of it was together. I'm not going to tell you how I'm gonna play that out, you'll just have to read and find out.

This chapter will be a filler until I finish the original chapter which might not be any time this week, but keep on your toes about it.

_._

_**Notes will be repeated in each chapter to thwart confusion.**_

**Chapter 2:**

Shiori paced back and forth in the living room. She hadn't heard from her Shu-kun in hours and she was really getting worried. "Where did he go off to?" She asked. She was almost on the verge of tears. Whenever her Shu-kun would go out, he would tell her. He never stepped out of the house or disappeared for long periods of time without first telling her. She just knew something was amiss, a mother's intuition if you will.

"Shiori," Nodoka said with a frown. "I'm sure he just went out for a walk," She continued to watch her sister pace. "Please, sit and calm yourself.

Shiori shook her head. "My Shuichi would never go anywhere without informing me first!" She gasped suddenly. Pulling out her cell phone, she exclaimed: "I'll call him!" She pushed the number 1, for Kurama had been on her speed dial. She waited. A ringing suddenly pierced the still silence and everyone gazed at the cell phone on the table. Kazuya picked it up and sighed.

"This is Shuichi's phone." Kazuya said. Shiori gave a cry of anguish.

"My baby is missing!" She cried. She almost collapsed to the ground but Kazuya managed to catch her before she actually hit the ground. "My baby," She cried over and over again. Shuichi and Sota came running down the stairs at that point. They both wore grins but then frowned when they noticed Shiori crying into Kazuya's chest.

"What's going on?" Shuichi asked.

"Oh, Shuichi!" Shiori cried. "Shu-kun is missing!"

"Actually I saw him about an hour ago," Sota said. Everyone's gaze snapped to him.

"Where did he go?" Shiori asked.

"He jumped down the well with Kagome," Sota said with a grin. He tilted his head to the side when Shiori shouted:

"WHAT?" Why on earth would her Shu-Kun jump down a well? Why the hell would Kagome do so too? Was it some kind of new game the teenagers were playing?

...

...

No! It couldn't!

"Well…More like fell in after Kagome." Shiori's eyes seemed to widened even more, if possible, at the last statement.

"MY BABY!" Shiori screamed and ran out of the house, towards the shrine in the back. The other adults, Sota, and Shuichi followed after her. She looked down in the well and started crying again. Kazuya looked anxious.

"Is he down there…dead?" Kazuya asked. The last of what he said was relesed from his lips with such hesitation, he almost didn't want to say it. He was surprised, to say the least, when Shiori suddenly turned to him and glared feriously.

"NO! He's not down there at all!" She screamed at him. "Where is my baby?" She turned on Nodoka who raised her hands in defense.

"He probably went back to Inuyasha's time with Kagome," Everyone froze. Shiori slowly looked at Sota, who had been the one to say it.

"What?"

"Oh…we have a lot of explaining to do…" Nodoka sighed as her son and father sweat-dropped. "Come inside, Shiori."

* * *

"WHAT!" Shiori screeched. "How is that even possible?" The Higurashis had just finished telling Shiori all about Kagome's endevors into the past and about the demons and her quest to save the past from an evil rotten demon named Naraku. They told her about Kagome being the reincarnation of a ancient priest who lived long ago.

"We don't know," Nadoko said.

"My baby is in a world full of demons!" Shiori began to weep again. "He's a good boy; he doesn't deserve such a fate," Kazuya looked a bit confused.

"This sounds all fairy-tale." Kazuya said. "How does she go through the well? Is it a hole or something?"

"We don't know how to explain," Nodoka said with a shake of her head.

"Wait, if she can go through because she's a reincarnation, what does that make Shuichi-nii?" Shuichi asked. That question seemed to pique everyone's interest, but before farther discussion could take place, the cell phone clutched tightly in Shiori hands began to ring.

"Hello?" Shiori answered.

"Mrs. Minamino?" Shiori's eyes widened at the familiar voice of one of her son's friends.

"Oh, Yusuke!" Shiori exclaimed. "Something terrible has happened to my Shu-kun!" Nodoka eyes widened. She reached out towards Shirori but Shirori moved away from her.

"Wait, Shiori!" Nadoko exclaimed. "You can't tell anyone-"

"What happened?" Yusuke asked urgently.

"He fell down a well and was sent to a place full of demons!" Shiori cried before Nadoko snatched the phone from her.

"No-no, Shiori is just a bit over-emotional because Shuichi…ran away," Nadoko said. She heard a dial tone and she blinked and stared at the phone. "How rude…" She turned to look at her sister, who began to sob into Kazuya's chest again. She looked to her father but the old man just shrugged.

* * *

"Guys!" Yusuke shouted as he barged into the temple. Genkai and Yukina were the only ones in there at the time. They seemed to have been in the middle of having tea.

"What?" Genki asked. Yukina stood up from her sitting position.

"What's wrong, Yusuke?"

"Kurama has been kidnap!" Yusuke yelled. "Where is Kuwabara and Hiei?"

"Kuwabara is here in the kitchen," Yukina said. "I'm not sure where Hiei went."

"I'm right here," Hiei grumbled. Everyone jumped and looked over at him. He was leaning against the giant statue on the side of them. "What do you mean m- the fox was kidnapped?"

"I called Kurama's phone and his mom picked up. She was crying and talking about he fell into a well and now he's somewhere where demons are at."

"How does she know about demons?" Kuwabara asked coming into the room. Yusuke looked at him.

"I don't know," He shrugged.

"Maybe the fox told her?" Hiei suggested. Yusuke shrugged.

"We have to find him though! He might be in danger,"

"The fool is right," Hiei nodded as Kuwabara glared at him. "We should go to Koenma to see if he knows anything about this."

"Right," The two agreed.


	3. Chapter 3

**Original Author's Notes:**

**Shiori** calls Kurama Shu-kun and calls Shuichi – Shuichi-kun.

**Kurama** calls Shuichi - Shu-kun.

**Kagome** calls Kurama Shu-kun when Shuichi is in the room or just plain Shuichi whenever they're alone or when Shuichi isn't in the room. _When it is kind of in the __**POV of Kagome**__, I will refer to Kurama as Shuichi since Kagome doesn't know about his other half._

**Kazuya** calls his son Shu-kun and calls Kurama Shuichi but he calls both of them son at times.

**Shuichi **calls Kurama Shuichi-nii.

_._

**Btw about the time space continuum thing:**

I had put some thought into it and that was what the original chapter 3 was about. Kurama asking about the past and what was the exact time they were in. Of course it doesn't have to be linked to Youko's past life because technically they never said from what time a thousand years ago that he had been Youko and that he'd been hunted down. And of course there is the thing that back here there was no separation from demon word, spirit world, or the human world. All of it was together. I'm not going to tell you how I'm gonna play that out, you'll just have to read and find out.

_._

**_Demon_**

_Response to Demon_

_'thoughts'_

"Normal speech"

_**Notes will be repeated in each chapter to thwart confusion.**_

**Chapter 3:**

Kurama opened his eyes slowly. Yawning, he sat up and ran a hand through his hair. He looked around at the empty hut; no one was in here, not even that old lady. "Ah, ye be awake, child," As if on cue, the old lady from before walked in with a warm smile across her face. Kurama smiled slightly. He stood up and frowned slightly when the women held something out to him. "Something more comfortable than what ye're wearing right now," She grinned. "I'll be right back with your shoes.

"Thank you," Kurama nodded. The women left the hut. Kurama looked down at the outfit she had given him. He slowly stripped out of his clothes and put on the outfit provided for him. Looking himself over, he realized the outfit was the same as the Chinese battle style outfit he always wore except it was black with gold trimming made out of some sort of soft cotton. He tied the sash tightly around him. He turned when he heard someone enter the hut.

"Ah, ye be done," The old woman smiled. Kurama smiled back at her. "I couldn't find any men shoes that would fit ye," _**This can't be good. **_She chuckled. "Ye have such small feet; I hope ye don't mind wearing women's shoes." _**Did this old woman just insult our feet? KILL HER, KILL HER!**_

"It's alright," Kurama said as he walked over to her to receive the shoes. As he put them on, Kaede walked over to a chest that had been placed in the corner.

"Come here," she beckoned. _**How dare this human order us about! KILL HER!**_Ignoring the voice again, Kurama went over to her. She pulled out a thin blade and then pulled out a large thick one. Kurama blinked at the small chest and looked at her in confusion. _How in the world did that thing fit in there?_ _**A witch!**_Kurama nearly growled outloud as the voice seemed to get louder. Kaede pulled out a whip with spikes on the sides. She frowned. "Ah," She pulled out a bow and arrow-quiver. She looked at Kurama. "If ye be traveling with yer cousin and her friends, ye best have something to defend yerself with," Kaede motioned with her hand at the several weapons on the table.

"Um,"

"Let me see ye hands," Kaede held her hands out. _**Don't do**_** it!** Kurama placed his hands in her hand and she looked them over. She rubbed the palms of his hands and then looked up to stare at him. _**I think she's going to purpose to you...KILL HER! **_"I see ye have never held a weapon such as a sword or bow,"

"I've had some type a practice," Kurama said hesitatingly as he remembered Hiei teasing him about how reliant he was on his whip which made him try to mimic Hiei with a grass blade.

"Very well, I will give you this blade," She placed the thick sword in his hand and he gasped as it fell to the ground with him still trying to hold it up. _What in the three worlds-_ _**Weak.**_Kaede chuckled. _**She's mocking us! KILL HER! **_"The thin blade it is," She slipped the thin blade in between Kurama's sash and tunic. She hooked the whip to his side as well. "Extra precaution," she explained. Kurama nodded but then glared down at the blade on the floor. "Don't be so worried. Only a person with powerful spiritual energy such as myself can make the weight of this sword seem like a feather," Kurama nodded silently.

"Um…Thank you, Lady…Kaede," Kurama said. _**She's going to get you killed! Don't touch these items! They'll purify you!**_Again, Kurama ignored the voice and stepped out. Maybe he was losing his mind...

* * *

"My cousin will be joining us!" Kagome said with a firm nod.

"What? I am not babysitting another human!"

"SIT!" Kagome watched in satisfaction as Inuyasha plummeted to the ground. She turned to a smiling Sango and a grinning Miroku. Shuichi chose that moment to walk out of the hut. Miroku's eyes widened.

* * *

***Miroku POV***

The most beautiful woman I have ever seen stepped out of Lady Kaede's hut. I don't believe Sango could even match her beauty. I had to have her bear my children-

* * *

Kurama's eyes widened as his view was suddenly taken up by, a rather handsome if he could say so, monk. The man grabbed his hand and leaned down towards him, which forced Kurama to lean back, least the monk's face touched his. _**Who is this human and why does he wish to end is life early?**_He stared at the monk. "You are very beautiful," Miroku said seriously. A faint blush settled across Kurama's face as the monk drew even closer to him. "I must ask you: Will you bear my children?" The monk was prompt bashed on the top of his head with a rather sizeable boom-a-rang. The suddenness of the action had Kurama's eyes widening and his gaze snapping from the injured monk to the one responsible for said injury.

"Pervert~" Sango growled. She smiled pleasantly at Kurama but Kurama saw the warning glint in her eyes. He shivered. Kagome ran over to Kurama.

"Sorry about him," Kagome sighed. "That's Miroku. You already know Sango and Inuyasha. The little cat demon in Sango's arms is Kirara," A brown fox kit hopped on Kagome's shoulder and stared at Kurama. Kurama's attention was immediately drawn to him. _**How precious.**_

"Is that a fox?" Kurama asked. Kagome looked at Shippo and grinned.

"Yup! His name is Shippo." She pulled the fox kit off her shoulder and held him out to Kurama. Shippo wiggled out of Kagome's grip and jumped onto Kurama's shoulder.

"I've never seen a human with red hair!" He exclaimed as he played in Kurama's hair. _**That's because we're not human, kiddo.**_

"That is true," Miroku mumbled. Kurama looked at Kagome in confusion. Kagome shook her head.

"I assure you, Shuichi is 100 percent human! His mother is my mother's sister!" Kagome exclaimed. Kurama's eyes widened.

"Oh no, mother must be terribly worried about me!" Kurama gasped. "I don't even have my phone with me." _**Tsk - **_

"Foe-on?" The others asked. Kurama frowned as he looked at Kagome.

"Maybe I should head home," He said reluctantly. _**Why now? **_Kagome frowned slightly at the almost disappointed tone Kurama took.

"How about we go to tell your mom you're okay and you come back with me?" Kagome smiled. Kurama smiled back her.

"That sounds like a plan," _**That wasn't a plan. That was just her speaking words! What happens after you tell her you're fine then you disappear again? Think, idiot, think! **_With that, they went back to the bone eater's well. Kurama look uneasily down the well and shuddered. _**Wimp.**_Sango looked down the well as well and then turned her attention to Kagome as she stood on the wall. She held her hand out to Kurama before frowning at the fearful look on his face.

"Inuyasha, can you jump with Shuichi?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha growled and Kagome glared at him. Inuyasha sighed.

"Fine!" He grumbled. He picked Kurama up who squeaked in surprise. Kagome jumped down as well as Inuyasha with Kurama in his arms.

* * *

Kagome's feet gently touched down on the ground as well as Inuyasha. Kagome turned to smile at Inuyasha and Shuichi but there was just one problem. "WHERE IS SHUICHI?" Kagome cried. Inuyasha looked down at his empty arms and his eyes widened.

"I swear I was holding her!"

"Him!" Kagome yelled at him and smacked him in the head. "Shuichi is a boy!"

"Ow!" Inuyasha growled.

"We have to go back!" Kagome cried.

* * *

Kurama groaned as he rubbed the back of his head. At least Inuyasha had disappeared when he was near the ground. _**Yeah...at**_** least...** Kurama sighed as he used the vine to climb back up. "What happened?" Sango and Shippo asked at the same time. _**Obviously, nothing. That's why we're climbing back up the well with a splitting fucking headache!**_ Kurama rubbed the back of his head again and winced.

"I'm not sure," Kurama grumbled. Just as he said that, Inuyasha jumped out of the well with Kagome on his back.

"Shuichi!" She cried as she ran over and hugged him tightly. "Are you okay? We got back and you weren't with us!" _**Obviously. What was your first clue? The fact we weren't there or the fact that we're here?**_

"Yeah…I think the back of my head found that out first," Kurama grumbled irritably. Kagome hugged him again.

"Oh! If that didn't work, how are we going to get you home?" She started squeezing Kurama. "OH GOD YOU'RE GOING TO BE STUCK HERE FOREVER!"

"Geez, Kagome, Think more negative so she can start crying too," Inuyasha said as he jabbed a clawed thumb at Kurama. Kurama glared at him. _**We could kill it without anyone knowing. Who would care anyway? He looks like he has a lot of enemies we can blame it on!**_

"I'm not a female, thank you very much," Kurama snapped. Inuyasha smirked.

"Sure do look like it,"

"Quiet, dog breath!" _**Really? Is that the best insult you could come up with? **_Kurama growled. Inuyasha snarled at him and pushed Kagome out the way.

"I aughta claw your tongue out right now!"

"So now you're a cat?" _**Slightly better...**_ Kurama glared and Inuyasha glared right back. Kagome blinked.

"Am I missing something here?" She asked. Kurama huffed and crossed his arms.

"You act just like Kagome," Inuyasha grumbled.

"SIT!" Kagome screamed. Kurama watched in amusement as the jewels around the dog demon's neck began to glow and he was slammed into the ground. He chuckled lowly.

"Dog indeed," Kurama murmured to himself.

"I HEARD THAT!" Inuyasha yelled from his place on the ground. Shippo jumped back on Kurama's shoulder.

"Ahaha, Inuyasha! Another human who isn't scared of you!" Shippo stuck his tongue out at him. Inuyasha growled and jumped off the ground. He glared at Shippo and the fox kit cowered behind Kurama's head. Kurama glared at Inuyasha. Kagome whooped.

"Now we have to continue on! We have to continue our search for jewel shards and look for a way to get Shuichi back home!"

* * *

The gang had set out that same day. The formation of said gang was Inuyasha at the fore, Kagome [With Shippo on her shoulder] and Kurama walking behind him (with Kagome filling Kurama in on their many misadventures to thwart the evil known as Naraku, and get back the shikon jewel shards - Kagome admitted to mistakenly breaking), and Sango, Miroku and Kirara bringing up the rear. Kurama began to slow in his pace. He stopped suddenly with a gasp as he was struck with a sudden sharp pain in his head. He collapsed to his knees with Kagome slowly falling to his side with him, shouting his name. _**That'll help the headache greatly, you stupid human. Shout louder and maybe you'll scare the pain away!**_ "Are you okay?" She cried. After a while of gripping his head, he nodded.

"For a while now, I have been having these strange occurrences of splitting headaches that last for a few seconds and then it just goes away," Kurama explained. He stood up and shook his head slightly. "I'm fine now." _**You fail to mention you also have been hearing a voice in your head which you continue to ignore! I am here giving you sound advice and you do nothing to show your appreciation of said help! Stop ignoring me, damn you!**_Kurama winced and let off a low growl. Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at him.

"Inuyasha, I think you should carry Shuichi,"

"No fuckin' way!" Inuyasha snarled, turning on Kagome. Kurama frowned at Kagome.

"I'm truly fine, Kagome-chan." Kagome sighed. _**Hah!**_

"Fine but if it continues, Inuyasha will carry you,"

"What? I will do no such thing!" Inuyasha exclaimed which earned him a glare from Kagome and Kurama for two different reasons. _**Let's kill the mutt!**_

"Well-"

"Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha suddenly hissed. Sango and the others exchanged looks as Kurama stared off ahead of them. Inuyasha suddenly took off.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed after the dog demon. She growled and ran after him.

"Wait, Kagome-chan!" Kurama shouted as he ran after her. Sango and Miroku followed them.

* * *

"Inuyasha!" Kagome shouted as she came to the clearing where the two brothers were staring at one another. Kurama stopped next to her.

"Is that Inuyasha's brother?" Kurama asked.

"It seems you've gained another human bitch, Inuyasha," Sesshomaru stated coldly as he looked at Kurama. Kurama turned to see if he had been indicating someone behind him. His eye twitched when he caught that the dog demon was talking about him. _**Are they serious? What is wrong with these dogs? Their nose defective or something?**_

"If they were truly demons, why can they not see that I am a male," Kurama growled lowly; too low for Kagome to hear and even Inuyasha but Sesshomaru heard him clearly. Sesshomaru continued to stare at Kurama.

"Why does this human have red hair? I've never seen a human with red hair before," Sesshomaru said as he looked Kurama over. Kurama's eyes hardened as his and the cold, golden orbs of the dog demon's locked. Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow.

"What the hell are you getting at? I'd never couple with that hard ass of a person," A rock suddenly slammed into the back of Inuyasha's skull which made him fall forward on his face. He jumped up and glared at the glaring fox in human guise. "What the fuck was that for!" _**Nice shot! **_Kurama crossed his arms and glared.

_This is why I never liked dogs or dog demons. _Kurama sighed inwardly.

_**They're idiots.**_

_My sentiments exactly._

Kurama blinked. Did he just talk to himself and then answer himself?

"I don't have time for you, half-breed," Sesshomaru said. With that, he turned and with quick strides, he disappeared in the brushes.

"Half-breed?" Kurama asked. Inuyasha huffed.

"Inuyasha is half human and half demon. His mother was human and his father was a demon lord!" Kagome explained. _**So that's what was off about this guy! I knew he wasn't a demon! Remember what I said when we first met? I was all-**_

"Well he certainly doesn't act like nobility, besides his snotty attitude," Kurama grumbled lowly. _**There you go! You're getting better at insulting! Keep it up! You're almost there. **__'Almost where?' _Kurama thought to himself as Inuyasha growled and spun to glare at him.

"I hope you know my ears work better than your little human ones! I can hear what you're saying!" Inuyasha screeched.

"Now you think you're a banshee?" Kurama snorted. Kurama's eyes widened slightly. _Why exactly am I acting like this?_ _**You know why! **_

_Be silent!_

"Shuichi!" Kagome gasped. "This is nothing like you,"

"I'm sorry, Kagome-chan. I really don't understand what has come over me," Kurama said, looking down. Inuyasha huffed.

"Stupid human,"

"Half-breed," Kurama grumbled under his breath.

"I heard that!" Inuyasha shouted. _**This mutt thinks he can talk to us like that? Tell him differently!**_

"Well then un-hear it!" Kurama snapped back, glaring at the inu-hanyou. Inuyasha's eyes bled red.

"You're so infuriating!" Inuyasha snarled angrily. He leapt at Kurama and Kagome screamed.

"SIT BOY!" Kagome cried. Right before Inuyasha could pounce on Kurama, He was slammed into the ground. "Shuichi! You have to be careful," Kagome shouted. Kurama held his head and sighed. _The more I try to control myself from these rude remarks, the more my head pounds. _

_**This is because you're not supposed to repress yourself.**_

_What do you mean by that?_

**_..._**

"We should head back," Kagome spoke up again after some time past. "I'm sure Miroku and Sango are worried.

* * *

Sango and the others looked up as Kagome and Kurama came back towards them with Inuyasha following at a safe distance. "Let's continue on!" Kagome said cheerfully.

"What happened?" Miroku asked.

"Nothing," Kagome said with a smile. Inuyasha came to stop and stand next to Kagome. He glared at Kurama over Kagome's head briefly. Sango and Miroku exchanged looks before they all took off again.

* * *

The group stopped to rest for a while. It had been eerily quiet since they had continued on from their encounter with Sesshomaru. Shippo was currently sitting on Kurama's shoulder running his small hands through his hair. While Kagome, Sango, and Miroku sat across from them. "Your hair is so soft!" Kurama felt a couple of tugs to the top of his hair.

"What are you doing?" Kurama asked curiously.

"I'm putting a crown on your head," Shippo said cheerfully. "It's made of grass and leaves with a rock painted green for the jewel!" Kurama chuckled. Kagome and Sango giggled at the scene.

"That's so adorable," They said.

"Fox fire!" Shippo yelled. A poof a smoke appeared around the make-shift crown. The make-shift crown turned into a real looking tiara like crown. Inuyasha snorted from his place in a tree but said nothing. Sango and Kagome giggled even more. Kurama frowned at them.

"What?" He reached his hand up but Shippo grabbed his finger.

"No! Don't take it off! You have to promise me you won't take it off!" Shippo shouted. Kurama sighed and dropped his hand.

"Okay, I promise I won't take it off,"

_What have I gotten myself into?_

* * *

At least a week had gone past and the group had been traveling since then. The voice that had been speaking suddenly stopped in that week. Kurama was still confused as to who the voice was and why it suddenly began to speak to him. It kept bringing up things from his past - his life as Youko. Maybe the voice was Youko? He was in what appeared to be a past time of before the 3 worlds were together.

They stopped to rest. Kagome handed out a bowl to everyone. Kurama stared into his bowl. It was ramen. He ate two chopsticks worth before setting his bowl down. Kagome and the others looked at him. "Shuichi, why aren't you eating anymore?"

"I'm not very hungry," Kurama replied airily. Sango and Miroku frowned at Kagome. Inuyasha snorted.

"Probably trying to keep up that girly figure of his," Inuyasha said. Kurama stood up. Kagome and the others tensed - even Inuyasha tensed. The two kept going at it for the week they had been in close quater with each other. It was either Inuyasha starting the shouting match or Kurama starting - no matter who started, it always ended the same way: Inuyasha being sat and Kurama walking away with a smirk of victory.

Kurama walked past Inuyasha silently. Kagome and Sango looked at Inuyasha.

"Why did you do that?" Kagome growled.

"What?! He can start crap with me but when I insult him, you wanna grind my throat out?"

"Inuyasha! He's very sensitive about how he looks!" Kagome hissed. "His mom even said that he hasn't been eating right,"

"He's probably sad because he misses his mom," Shippo piped up. Inuyasha snorted.

"I wonder if she is as bitchy as him," Everyone jumped in surprise as a knife landed rather close to Inuyasha's crotch. It was so close to castrating him that it actually struck through his clothes, pinning him to the ground. They gasped when Kurama was in front of the half demon glaring down at him. Kurama leaned over and grabbed the collar of his fire rat robe.

"You will not talk about my mother in such a way," Kurama said coldly. "Open your mouth and insult her again and I will cut your dick off and feed it to you!" Kurama hissed. He pushed Inuyasha backwards and walked off. Everyone watched him go. Their attention shifted to Inuyasha who start sputtering:

"Wh…What the hell…" Inuyasha shakily said from his spot still on the ground.

"He is…rather intimidating." Miroku said.

"Are you sure he's not usually like this?" Sango asked. Kagome frowned.

"Shuichi is nothing like this! He's very sweet and soft spoken. He's always acting with manners even if a person bugs him and he gets annoyed. He's always polite!"

"Inuyasha must be able to annoy everyone to the point they want to kill him!" Shippo laughed. Inuyasha growled. He pulled the knife from his pants and frowned.

"Where the hell did he get this from?" Inuyasha asked.

* * *

Kurama growled angrily. "Stupid dog," He sat down in front of the small pond of water. He dipped his hands in the cool water and splashed it on his face.

"Well, aren't you a pretty human," Kurama's gaze snapped up to a figure wearing a bamboo pelt. "Oh, a princess?" the man was referring to the crown that Shippo had re-done earlier. It still looked exactly the same. It was silver with a green gem in the middle.

"Who are you?" Kurama asked, just a tad-bit of annoyance creeping in his voice. It was enough to be traveling with a stupid half-breed of a dog demon that didn't know when to shut his trap, he was not in the mood to be played with or answer to a monkey.

"My name is not of importance," the figure said with a small chuckle. He seemed to float down from his spot in the tree to stand in front of Kurama, hovering over the water. Kurama stood and took a step back. This man smelled of death and rotting flesh. He almost gagged. "You have…strength I would never expect from a human," The man said. "You have red hair, are you sure you're human?"

"I don't think that concerns you," Kurama responded coldly. The man chuckled.

"You remind me of the half-breed's brother. So cold," The man laughed again. The pelt swiftly lifted up to allow tentacles to shoot at Kurama. Kurama gasped as the tentacles wrapped around him and started to pull him towards the man.

* * *

Inuyasha suddenly tensed; as did Miroku. "A strong demonic presence is nearby; the way that Shuichi had gone."

"It's Naraku!" Inuyasha cursed. They all jumped up and readied their weapons before running down the path Shuichi had taken.

* * *

Kurama struggled in the grasp of this unknown demon. His human body wasn't strong enough to pull away. He growled as he began to release his own energy. A white mist began to encircle them. Naraku's eyes widened as green eyes bled gold to glare at him.

Inuyasha and the others got to the scene just to see Kurama being pulled into Naraku, but a strange energy was circling them.

"Shuichi!" Kagome cried.

"I can't hit him with my wind tunnel because I might suck Shuichi up," Miroku cursed.

"We can't attack because we might hit Shuichi!" Kagome yelled as Inuyasha unsheathed Tessaiga.

"Then what the hell do we do?" Inuyasha growled. He tensed when a spike of powerful energy came from Naraku[seemingly].

"I'd advise you to let me go," Kurama hissed dangerously low. "I've been irritated one time to many today,"

"Oh, I'm sorry," The man in the pelt – Naraku – said mockingly. That's when Kurama was enveloped with white light and he disappeared altogether from Naraku. Naraku blinked.

"NO!" Kagome cried. "Shuichi!" She dropped to her knees, letting out a sob. Sango jumped on a transformed Kirara.

"Hiraikotsu!" Sango shouted as she threw the giant boom-a-rang at Naraku. Naraku swiftly avoided it.

"Don't you dare run, you bastard!" Inuyasha shouted. Before Inuyasha could do anything and before Sango could chuck her boom-a-rang at him again, vines suddenly shot out of the water and wrapped around Naraku. Out of the water jumped a wet and angry looking silver haired demon. Golden eyes burned holes into Naraku.

"Who the hell is that?" Inuyasha asked.

"I've finally understand why I have been having headaches," the fox growled. The vines squeezed around Naraku before the body was split in half. The two parts fell down in the water but rose back up inside of a purple barrier. Inuyasha and the others watched the demon wring out his hair. He turned to do the same to his tail but then froze. He stared at his tail and his eyes widen. He turned to look at Kagome and the rest of the group.

_Oh fuck…._

"Shuichi?" Shippo asked. He had spotted the crown still on the silver haired demon's head. Kurama reached up and felt the crown and chuckled to himself. _Figures._

"Shuichi, is that you?" Kagome asked, taking a step forward.

"No," Kurama said coolly. "My name is Youko Kurama." Kurama brushed his damp hair off his shoulder and let a small grin grace his face. _What am I saying? Why am I lying to them?_

_**Because it's better for the girl not to know who we truly are.**_

_You again!...Who are you?_

_**I am you.**_

_What?_

_**You wouldn't know since you spent the last 2,000 years ignoring my presence. Even after I came back, you still ignore me! This is why you died!**_

_Who are you?_

_**I just told you, idiot! I'm you! Again, this is why you died! You don't listen very well. I'm your inner demon.**_

_My WHAT?_

…_**.**_

Kurama furrowed his brow in confusion. He lifted his hand and chucked the make-shift crown in a random direction.

"Where is Shuichi?" Kagome demanded.

"He's asleep." Kurama said airily and walked over towards them. Inuyasha lifted his sword and pointed it at Kurama.

"Don't you come any closer," Inuyasha growled. Kurama stared blankly at Inuyasha. He grabbed the sword by its broad blade, gripping it so tight, it began to cut into his skin. He yanked it from Inuyasha's hand and flung it behind him. He glared at Inuyasha.

"Quiet, puppy. Can't you see adults are trying to talk?"

"What the hell did you just call me?"

"Careful, Inuyasha," Miroku interrupted. "This demon is very powerful."

"You should listen to the monk," Kurama said as he glanced at Miroku. He looked back at Kagome and frowned slightly.

"Are you a dog demon like Inuyasha?" Kagome asked.

"Never," Kurama growled. _**How could she even suggest that! KILL HER!**_

_Be silent!_

"Fox!" Shippo exclaimed. Kurama smiled at him and nodded. Shippo jumped onto Kurama's shoulder and ran his fingers through his hair.

"I've never seen a fox demon with silver hair!"

"You've never seen a fox demon before," Inuyasha grumbled. Kurama raised his eyebrow.

"Are you albino?" Sango asked.

"No," Kurama replied as he watched Shippo play in his hair.

"My name is Kagome," Kagome smiled.

"I'm Sango," Sango bowed. Miroku bowed as well.

"I'm Miroku."

"I'm Shippo!" Shippo exclaimed.

"Hn," Inuyasha grunted. There was a brief flash of pain in the fox's eyes as the grunt brought back memories of Hiei – whom he had not seen in months. It past but not before Inuyasha saw it.

"Why were you in the water?" Kagome asked.

"I….don't really remember how I even got in there," Kurama grumbled. "But that demon that ran away was really giving me a headache."

"That was Naraku," Inuyasha said. "I would have killed him if you didn't split him in half and let him run away!"

"Well, I'm _terribly_ sorry," Kurama said, not at all sounding it. Inuyasha stayed quiet.

"You look like you're hungry!" Kagome said as she looked over the slim fox demon. **_Starving is more like it! No-No ravenous! _**_Silence!_

"You know….I actually do feel a bit hungry," Kurama said.

"What do you eat?" Sango asked.

"Half breeds," Kurama said, giving Inuyasha a sly look. "Preferably dog,"

"WHAT?" Inuyasha shouted, jumping away from the fox demon. _**See, isn't this fun? You should listen to me more often! **_Kurama snickered.

"I was only kidding," _**Or were you? **_Kurama turned his attention back to Kagome. "Whatever you have is fine,"

"Okay, come on!" Sango smiled.

"Aren't we forgetting one thing!" Inuyasha growled, not liking how this fox demon just barged into the group. "Aren't we supposed to be looking for Shuichi?" Right now Inuyasha preferred the grumpy red haired human to this cold demon full of dark humor.

"Are you afraid, little puppy?" Kurama cooed with a dark grin.

"Of course not!"

"Why did you step behind Kagome then?" Kurama asked. Shippo started laughing. Inuyasha glared at the two foxes.

"I so didn't!"

"Of _course_ not! How could I ever accuse you of such a thing," Kurama said with a nod.

* * *

"What did you mean by 'he is sleeping'?" Kagome asked when they hard returned to the camp. Kurama was sitting, slowly eating the bowl of ramen Kagome had given him.

"To tell you the truth," Kurama said. "I am he," _**Ugh! This is why you died!**__Quit bringing up the past!_

**_FYI, if you haven't noticed, we're in the past!_**

"What?" They asked in unison.

"I am Shuichi," Kurama said with a sigh. He closed his eyes briefly and, in swirl of mist that circled around him, he returned back to his human self.

"WHOA!"

"I knew humans didn't have red hair!" Shippo exclaimed.

"Wh-what, how? Shiori is your mom!" Kagome exclaimed. "Was your dad a demon? Are you half-demon like Inuyasha? How come you never told us?! Does your mom know? How come you were confused before? Are there still demons living around in the present?" Kurama sweat dropped.

"Um..." Kurama sighed. "It's complicated. As a human I am Shuichi Minamino, born to Shiori Minamino-Hatanaka. But as a demon, I am Youko Kurama: King of Thieves."

"King of thieves?" Inuyasha snorted. "You don't look like you could steal a _single_ thing."

"I stole your sword, didn't I?" Kurama asked with a sly smirk. Inuyasha huffed.

"My sword is right-" Inuyasha's eyes widened as he looked at his hip. "What the-" He snapped his gaze back to a grinning Kurama.

"Like I said," Kurama twirled the stolen sword in his hand. "King of Thieves."

"You didn't even move!" Inuyasha cried. "I was looking at you the whole time!" Kurama threw Inuyasha's sword to him. "How the hell…"

"Simple: it's for me to know and you to somehow find out with your half of a brain." Kurama said coolly.

"HEY!" Inuyasha growled. "Last time I checked, people said if someone picks on you that means they like you or they're jealous!"

"I told you that," Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Maybe I like you," Kurama's eyes flashed with something dangerous that had Inuyasha shuddering in fear.

"I think…That's scarier…" Inuyasha mumbled.

"This is amazing…" Kagome mumbled. "All my life I saw you as my little cousin,"

"Wait, you're older than him?" Sango asked.

"Yeah, but only by a few months."

"Actually, I'm older than you by at least 3 millennia." Kurama said with a chuckle.

"What?" They all shouted.

"You must have been around the time my old man was still alive. Do you know Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha asked.

"I met him a week ago, remember?" Kurama asked with a raised eyebrow.

"This is…how are…" Kagome couldn't even get anything out.

"I'll tell you my story then," Kurama said with a sigh. "You must promise me you will not tell my mother," Kagome nodded. "Very well," Kurama took a deep breath before telling the group about his life in the Makai; about his and Kuronue's adventures, and of their heist and of the heist that led to both their deaths. He told them that he had wanted revenge and went out to seek the ones responsible and had been fatally wounded by hunters and that the way he survived was to transfer his soul to a human in the human world. That part got them all confused.

"There is a human world?" Inuyasha asked.

"I can't explain it since this seems to be the time when humans and demons coexisted together," Kurama said.

"Earlier, you said something about your headaches before you split Naraku in half. What did you mean by that?" Miroku asked.

"My headaches were caused from me repressing my old self." Kurama explained as he held his head. _**That's what I've been telling you! Again, you ignore me!**_ "I was slowly going back to how I used to be; how I used to be before I became Shuichi Minamino."

"Wait," Kagome mumbled. "So, you're going back to how you used to act?"

"Exactly,"

"And you're losing your humanity?" Sango asked. Kurama frowned.

"That is a possibility," Kurama mumbled. _Am I?_

**_Your guess is just as bad as mine._**

* * *

***In the Present Time***

"Dammit, Koenma!" Yusuke growled. "You have to find a way to get over there!"

"I'm trying!" Koenma shouted. "You're not exactly giving me enough time to process what is going on! You said his mother said he fell into a portal to the Makai? There are currently no portals that have been accessed, as far as I can see," The demigod exclaimed as he flipped through the many papers scatter across his desk. "You're going to have to go through that portal he supposedly fell into and find out where he went! There is nothing else I can do about this!"

"How do we find the portal?" Hiei asked with a frown. Yusuke frowned.

"I think we should call Shiori and ask," Yusuke said.

"I'll come with and report back to Lord Koenma!" Botan said. Hiei looked at her with a frown and sighed.

"Yusuke, call her now," Hiei said with a frown. Yusuke nodded.

* * *

"My baby," Shiori cried as she rocked back and forth, the cellphone still clutched tightly in her hand. The cellphone rung again. This time, she looked at the caller id. "Yusuke again!" She exclaimed. Nodoka's eyes snapped to her. She snatched the phone from Shiori before she could answer it and answered it herself.

"Listen youn-"

"Put Shiori on the phone," That voice was too deep and gruff to be the same one as before.

"Who is this?" Nodoka asked. Shiori snatched the phone from her.

"Hello?"

"Shiori,"

"Oh, Hiei!" Shiori cried. "It's horrible! Did Yusuke tell you already?"

"Yes ma'am, but I need you to tell me where you are now."

"I'm at my sister's house." Shiori said.

* * *

After Shiori relayed the address, the four headed over there to her. Shiori opened the door for them. Nodoka was a bit skeptical. Who were these people that Shiori so readily allowed to help them? Shiori let them in. "Oh Hiei," Shiori cried and hugged him tightly since he was the closest to her. Hiei awkwardly patted the sobbing human on the back. Nodoka's father chose that moment to slide into the room.

"DEMON!" He cried as he started chucking paper at Hiei and then at Yusuke. They all blinked.

"Father!" Nodoka snapped. Shiori let go of Hiei and the short fire demon growled at the old man as the useless paper seals went up in flames.

"AAAAH!" He screamed and ran out of the room.

"Don't mind him," Nodoka said as she watched the ashes float to the ground. "You're a demon, aren't you?"

"What? No!" Shiori cried. "Hiei isn't a demon! He's my Shu-kun's best friend! So is Yusuke!" Yusuke pulled the papers off him and grumbled something about senile old people.

"Shiori," Hiei called, tugging on the female's shirt sleeve. Shiori looked at Hiei.

"His voice doesn't fit his body," Nodoka mumbled to herself. Hiei glared at her briefly before looking back at Shiori.

"Where did Kur- Shuichi fall at?" Shiori quickly led them outside to the shrine.

"Down there!" She sobbed. Botan, Hiei, and Yusuke looked down it.

"It looks like a normal dried up well," Botan commented.

"I want to see," Kuwabara yelled, bumping into Yusuke. Yusuke let out a shocked yell as he fell forward. Kuwabara managed to catch him by his foot. Yusuke's eyes widened as he saw sparkles and dark purple mist.

"Pull me up, pull me up, pull me up!" Yusuke screamed. Kuwabara yanked him back over and Yusuke shuddered.

"What did you see?"

"Darkness! EVIL!" Yusuke shouted pointing at the well. "What the fuck kind of well is that?" Hiei frowned. He looked down it and uncovered the Jagan. Shiori and Nodoka gasped at the appearance of the third eye.

"There is definitely a portal in this well," Hiei said. He looked at them. "But it's not to the Makai at all," Botan frowned. Hiei looked puzzled for a moment. "Do you still have that communication device, Botan? The one that we can use across worlds?" Botan reached into her kimono and pulled out two of them.

"I still have two left!" Botan exclaimed. "Why?" Hiei snatched one from her before jumping up on the well.

"Because I'm going to go rescue my fox," Hiei said simply before jumping down the well.

"Hiei!" Shiori, Yusuke, and Botan exclaimed. They looked over and down into the well but he was gone.

"What the hell just happened?" Yusuke asked.

"Did he just say 'rescue _his_ fox'?" Kuwabara asked. Yusuke's eyes widened.

"You think him and the fox has some kind of weird relationship?"

"It's possible because the two are really close," Botan said with a frown.

* * *

***Feudal Era***

Hiei landed on the ground and he stared up at the sky. "Most definitely not the Makai," Hiei mumbled. He jumped out of the well and looked around. "How am I supposed to figure out where he is?" Hiei growled. He tore the ward over his Jagan eye off and wrapped it around his arm. He closed his eyes and opened the Jagan eye. He saw a faint trail of Ki. It was so faint, he could barely see it. "This should lead me to my fox,"


	4. Chapter 4

**Original Author's Notes:**

**Shiori** calls Kurama Shu-kun and calls Shuichi – Shuichi-kun.

**Kurama** calls Shuichi - Shu-kun.

**Kagome** calls Kurama Shu-kun when Shuichi is in the room or just plain Shuichi whenever they're alone or when Shuichi isn't in the room. _When it is kind of in the __**POV of Kagome**__, I will refer to Kurama as Shuichi since Kagome doesn't know about his other half._

**Kazuya** calls his son Shu-kun and calls Kurama Shuichi but he calls both of them son at times.

**Shuichi **calls Kurama Shuichi-nii.

_._

**Btw about the time space continuum thing:**

I had put some thought into it and that was what the original chapter 3 was about. Kurama asking about the past and what was the exact time they were in. Of course it doesn't have to be linked to Youko's past life because technically they never said from what time a thousand years ago that he had been Youko and that he'd been hunted down. And of course there is the thing that back here there was no separation from demon word, spirit world, or the human world. All of it was together. I'm not going to tell you how I'm gonna play that out, you'll just have to read and find out.

_._

**_Demon_**

_Response to Demon_

_'thoughts'_

"Normal speech"

.

**BTW: About the whole only about 1,000 years old**. In actual, He's about 3,000 years old. In the Three Kings Arc (which had not been translated yet at the time that the Dark Tournament Arc was being dubbed) it is stated that Yomi rose to power about 500 years ago- AFTER Kurama had hired an assassin to kill/blind him. This didn't fit with the plot as set by the dubbers of him being about 1,000 years old, since Kurama couldn't be taking hits out on people 100 years before he was born. In actually, Togashi (author of the series) was using the lesser known version of the tale: a kitsune gaining another tail every 1,000- not 100- years. So with 4 tails (and being born with 1), Kurama would be around 3,000 years old.

Extensive research plus my best friend is a Yuu-Yuu Hakusho expert.

_**Notes will be repeated in each chapter to thwart confusion.**_

_****_**Chapter 4:**

Kurama was currently fast asleep- or so it appeared. Inuyasha knew he wasn't sleep. The lazy fox refused to _wake up _so now Inuyasha ended up carrying the humanized fox on his back. "Stupid asshole…." Inuyasha grumbled. Kurama nuzzled against Inuyasha's neck and sighed causing Inuyasha to freeze.

"Why so tense?" Kurama mumbled sleepily. It was low enough for Inuyasha to hear but apparently not for the others because their steps nor their attention faltered from going forward. Inuyasha had the sudden feeling of being watch. He glanced back at the humanized fox to see him smirking and looking at him with one eye.

"If you're awake, I'm going to drop you," Inuyasha hissed. Kurama sighed again and nuzzled into Inuyasha's neck. Inuyasha felt the fox in human guise's lip twitch into what he suspected was a grin.

"I dare you," Kurama whispered. With a growl, Inuyasha let go of Kurama. A satisfied grin graced Inuyasha's lips when he heard the fox hit the ground with a loud 'thud' and an 'oof'.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome shouted. Inuyasha's grin suddenly vanished and he paled. "Why did you drop Shuichi?" Inuyasha huffed and grumbled:

"It's not like he's hurt!"

"Oww…." Kurama moaned, holding his arm. Inuyasha quickly turned around and gapped at the redhead.

"You are not hurt! You're-"

"Inuyasha," Kagome growled. Inuyasha's ears drooped and slowly turned around to see Kagome glowering at him.

"Shit..." Inuyasha grumbled under his breath.

* * *

Inuyasha grumbled irritably as he carried Kurama bridal style. When he dropped the fox, he had 'sprained his arm' which made it impossible for the fox to hang on to him. "I don't see how your arm has anything to do with you walking," Inuyasha grumbled lowly. He glanced down at the fox in his arms but said fox seemed to have just ignored his comment - that or his ears weren't as good as Inuyasha. Inuyasha, wanting to test that theory, grumbled lowly again: "Stupid fox," and without missing a beat, the fox replied back:

"Stupid dog,"

Inuyasha looked down at Kurama. "I don't like you,"

"I love you," Kurama, without looking up, said sarcastically. Inuyasha glared at Kurama and Kurama slowly looked up at him and smiled.

"You're so infuriating!"

"Thank you," Kurama's smile widened. "I thought you said you didn't like me. Now you're giving me compliments?" He chuckled.

"What! I am not!" Inuyasha yelled, his face flushed red. Kurama continued to snicker at him while the others in their company watched on in confusion. It would seem Inuyasha's little plan had backfired.

"Is Inuyasha and Shuichi in love?" Shippo asked. Inuyasha choked on nothing and whipped his head up to glare at Shippo. He began to sputter, red in the face, trying to come up with something at least intelligible to answer with.

"Use your words, Inuyasha," Kurama scolded a moment before Inuyasha screamed:

"WHAT?" Kurama shook his head.

* * *

Hiei had followed the trail. In the end, it led him to a small village. As soon as he stepped into the village, he frowned. This village reeked of humans but he could faintly feel his fox's disappearing Ki. This meant his fox was, at one point, here for a moment before continuing on. He put the ward back around his forehead. He'd have to rest up for now and continue later. Prolonged use of the Jagan could be….life threatening. "You, demon." Hiei blinked out of his musings to look at the person who had spoken. It was an old lady surrounded by what looked to be human soldiers? "What are you doing here? What is your purpose here?" The woman drew an arrow from the bow she was holding and pointing it at Hiei.

"I'm looking for someone," Hiei said. Maybe this lady knew where his fox was. This seemed to catch the lady's attention. He didn't budge from her drawn arrow position but Hiei saw her demeanor shift slightly.

"Who are you looking for?"

"A red haired human. Goes by the name of Shuichi," Hiei said, crossing his arms. The old lady's eyes widened.

"What do you know about Kagome's cousin?" The old woman asked with narrowed eyes. She instantly tensed back up, confirming Hiei's suspicoions. His fox had come through here and it seemed he made a couple new friends. _Kagome? Where had he heard that name before?_

"Kagome's cousin, as you say, is my mate," Hiei growled. "Now if you know where he is, tell me! If not, don't waste my time," The lady aimed the bow.

"You will not go near them!" She said, releasing the arrow. Everyone gasped when Hiei suddenly disappeared.

"Listen, human," Hiei spat. They all turned around to see Hiei standing behind them glaring. "I don't have time for your stupidity. My fox could be in danger right now. If he's hurt, I'm coming back and killing every single last one of you!" Hiei growled. He yanked the ward off his Jagan, closed his eyes, and opened the Jagan. He saw the disappearing trail going through the village. With one final growl, he flitted after the slowly fainting trail.

* * *

The group settled down near a pond to rest. Kurama was currently sitting directly in front of the pond while the others were sitting farther ways away. He growled angrily at his reflection. Kagome and the others kept throwing him worried glances over at him. "What is wrong with him?" Sango asked, breaking the silence.

"He did say he was reverting back to his former self. Maybe this is how he acted?" Miroku asked more than said. Inuyasha huffed at them all, gaining their attention, and made his way to the silently growling fox demon.

"I'm not in the mood to deal with you right now," Kurama said before Inuyasha could even come any closer. Inuyasha stared at the back of the redhead's head. He gave a silent growl before ignoring the subtle warning the humanized fox gave to 'leave him alone'.

"What's up with you?" Inuyasha asked as he sat down next to the tense fox. Kurama glared at Inuyasha before turning back to his reflection.

"Go away," Kurama snarled.

"C'mon, everyone is worried about you," Inuyasha said with a frown. Kurama glanced at him from the corner of his eye.

"Does that 'everyone' include you as well?" Kurama asked. Inuyasha flushed red and glared.

"Of course not! I'm just tired of everyone worrying over you!" Inuyasha growled. Kurama sighed.

"Well tell them not to. I'm fine."

"I can't tell," Inuyasha mumbled. "You have been sitting here for the past half hour growling at your reflection."

"I have?" Kurama asked, genuinely surprised. He hadn't realize it'd be that long. _This inner demon crap is getting on my nerves…_

_**You're welcome.**_

_Shut up._

"Inuyasha?" Kurama asked silently, after a moment's pause. Inuyasha hummed, signalling Kurama to continue speaking. Kurama hesitated. Inuyasha looked at him with a frown.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Do…Have…." Kurama bit his lip. "Never mind…."

"Just spit it out!" Inuyasha snapped. With a glare, Kurama stood up and pushed Inuyasha into the water with his foot and walked away. The sudden splash and shout of: "HEY! You bastard!" gained everyone else's attention. They watched as Inuyasha sat growling in the small pond. Kurama crossed his arms and continued to walk away from him. "GET BACK HERE!" Inuyasha shook himself dry as he could as he stepped out of the pond growling. Kurama's eyes widened slightly. Instincts kicked in and he immediately turned into his silver haired demon form and took off. Inuyasha growled and ran after him.

"Shuichi! Inuyasha!" Kagome cried as she watched the two run off. She jumped up.

"I think we should just wait here," Miroku said.

"Yeah. They'll come back," Sango agreed. Kagome looked at the two.

"But-but! What if they hurt each other? What if Inuyasha hurts Shuichi! I can't let them-"

"It'll be fine, Kagome," Miroku said with a nod. Sango agreed with him:

"They are canines," She said, which she believed would explain it all. Kagome sighed and sat down. That really didn't put her at ease one bit, but Sango said not to worry. Who else besides her did she trust in knowing about demons and their behaviors. She turned to look down the path the other two demons took - _'Shuichi? A demon...I still can't wrap my head around that one!'_

* * *

Sesshomaru and his companions had been walking for some time. He stopped when he felt an unfamiliar powerful aura (and then the familiar one of his brother's) charging their way. He frowned when a white and silver blur flew out of the trees. "You bastard!" Inuyasha snarled as he tackled the silver blur to the ground. He landed on the fox's back, grabbing the fox's wrists and pinning them down. "I shoul-" He was interrupted when a vine wrapped around his waist and threw him into a tree.

"Why do you try to jump on me all the time, Inuyasha?" The fox asked as he stood up and dusted himself. Inuyasha growled as he unsheathed his sword and pointed at the fox. The fox paused in his grooming and turned to look at Sesshomaru who was staring at them in mild amusement. Gold locked with gold before the fox had to tear his gaze from Sesshomaru to dodge Inuyasha's sword.

"Damn you bastard!" Inuyasha growled.

"Hello Sesshomaru," The fox greeted with a smile. Inuyasha's gaze snapped to Sesshomaru.

"Wha-" That was all the distraction the fox needed to tackle Inuyasha to the ground. The Tessaiga went flying in the air as the fox landed on top of Inuyasha. The sword stuck into the ground next to Inuyasha's head. Inuyasha stared at the top of the fox's head until said fox slowly looked at him with a sly grin.

"I win," the fox's grin widened. He sat up, still straddling Inuyasha. Inuyasha's face flushed as he stared up silently at the fox. The fox tilted his head to the side slightly as he stared down at Inuyasha. "No violent rebuttals or threats?" Seemingly in a trance, Inuyasha reached up and ran a hand through the fox's hair. The fox - and Sesshomaru (who remained forgotten at this point in time) - raised an eyebrow, one of his ears twitched (of course the action was done by just the fox). Deciding to put an end to the stupidity - and make himself known to be still standing there - Sesshomaru proclaimed coldly:

"To be beaten by a fox, Inuyasha, that looks a centuries younger than you and even weaker than you….How far can you fall?" Sesshomaru sighed as he shook his head. That snapped Inuyasha back into reality. He bucked upwards and knocked a surprised gasp from the fox as he was thrown backwards. Inuyasha grabbed his sword and sheathed it, his face dark red.

"Whatever…" He grumbled as he dashed away. The fox sat up from lying on the ground and ran a hand through his hair. He glanced back at Sesshomaru.

"Do you two hate each other?" The fox asked, tilting his head to the side slightly. Sesshomaru regarded the fox demon with an indifferent stare.

"I don't see how that is any of your concern, kitsune," Sesshomaru said cooly. The fox shrugged.

"I'll just ask him then," Kurama stood and stretched. Sesshomaru watched the lithe kitsune do a few stretches before he asked:

"What is your name, kitsune?" Surprisingly Jaken and Rin had been silent throughout the whole ordeal.

"Youko Kurama," Kurama said with a grin. With that he bounded off after Inuyasha.

"Youko Kurama," Sesshomaru repeated silently.

* * *

When Kurama got back, everyone looked at him. Kurama's attention was drawn to Inuyasha, who was still beet red. The fox let out a snicker, which gained Inuyasha's attention. Inuyasha glanced at him once before turning away, becoming even more red - if such a thing was possible. Kurama walked over to sit next to Kagome, still in his demon form. "Aren't you going to change back?" Kagome asked. Kurama frowned slightly.

"I haven't been in this form for 16 years straight….Here I can freely be in it…" Kurama mumbled, mostly to himself. Out loud he said: "Naw, I'll stay like this for a while."

"Change back!" Inuyasha snapped from his spot near the pond, as far away from Kurama as he could get. Kurama grinned at him before swiftly making his way over to Inuyasha and plopping next to him.

"Why~?" Kurama mock whined. "Don't you _love _me in this form?" He nuzzled his face against Inuyasha. Inuyasha jumped up with a low cry. He crouched low before catapulting himself backwards and up a tree.

"NO!" Inuyasha hissed.

"Now you're a cat?" Kurama asked with a laugh, watching Inuyasha gripping the tree as if his life depended on it.

"Mew!" Kirara glared at Kurama. Kurama sweat-dropped.

"Sorry," Kurama pouted and crossed his arms.

_**Doesn't it feel good to be yourself again?**_

_Not you again…_

Kurama had settled down back near the pond. He was staring ahead, idly running his claws through his tail. He yawned widely and leaned against the rock next to him, closing his eyes before falling asleep. Inuyasha jumped down from the tree and sat next to Kagome.

"Kagome, your cousin is creepy," Inuyasha grumbled, plopping down next to her.

"He's not usually like this. I guess it's just his demon self that acts like that."

"I think he should stay as his human self," Inuyasha grumbled.

* * *

Kurama opened his eyes slowly and yawned. He felt warm and safe. He snuggled closer to the warm body that exuded safety and felt arms wrap more tightly around his waist. He let out another contented sigh as he felt warm breath hit his neck as that same warm body exuding safety nuzzled against his neck, breathing in a moment later. _Hiei…_ Kurama smiled and nuzzled against the neck and breathed in the scent of- His eyes snapped open. He yanked himself out of the tight hold the warm body he was snuggled up tightly with, letting out a sharp gasp as the action proved to be too sudden for his sleep muddled brain. He had fallen backwards off the tree - tree? _how did I get in a tree?_ He was caught by his ankle. He looked up - or was he looking down? - at Inuyasha. "What the fuck!" Inuyasha yelled.

"How did I get in this tree?" Kurama demanded.

"You came up here," Inuyasha grumbled. "I think you were sleep walking,"

"Why didn't you wake me up?" Kurama yelled. That seemed to wake everyone else. "Why the hell were you sniffing me, you stupid dirty mutt!"

"I tried to, you moron!" Inuyasha snarled. "And I wasn't fucking snifing you, you dirty, flea ridden fox! You were sniffing me!" Kurama kicked at Inuasha's hand. He managed to slip from Inuyasha's hold, but landed on his back on the ground with a grunt. Inuyasha jumped down and stared down at the dazed fox on the ground.

"See, now you've gone and got yourself hurt," Inuyasha huffed as he stepped over the fox to sit next to Kagome who had gotten up. "You're obviously not a cat, you moron," Kurama growled and stood.

"Stupid fucking dog!"

"Stupid fucking fox!"

"Geez, guys," Shippo yawned. "You guys argue so much, you probably like each other." Shippo cried out when Inuyasha's fist suddenly bopped him in the head.

"Shut it!" Inuyasha growled but there was a faint blush on his cheeks.

"Don't attack Shippo for making a valid point," Miroku mumbled, then a moment later cried in pain as his head was met with Inuyasha's fist.

"Shut up you perverted monk!" Kurama ran a hand through his hair and grumbled something. He walked over and plopped down next to Sango, glaring at Inuyasha.

* * *

Again they set off. "Where exactly are you guys heading?" Kurama asked, his arms resting behind his head as he followed behind Inuyasha and Kagome. Inuyasha glanced back at Kurama and opened his mouth to say something but stopped and growled.

"Two jewel shards are coming this way and fast," Kagome said.

"It's Koga," Inuyasha snarled. Just as he said it, the tornado of which is Koga's usual entrance, became visible. He stopped in front of the group and grinned.

"Well, hello there," Koga grinned.

"What the hell do you want?" Inuyasha growled.

"We were just passing by but I knew I smelled the scent of a mutt." Koga laughed. Kagome and the others sighed. They walked around Koga and Inuyasha and continued on. Kurama raised an eyebrow. _I suppose this happens usually and thats why they're so calm about it._

_**Or simply just annoyed by**_** it.** Kurama was getting ready to follow behind his cousin, but Koga stepping in front of him stopped him.

"Well, hello there!" Koga smirked at Kurama. Kurama raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you a sight for sore eyes," As he spoke, his eyes trailed up and down over Kurama's person.

"Why, thank you," Kurama grinned. He was a sucker for compliments.

_**That's what made you so easy to lay with.**_

_Why don't you stay in your place and shut it._

Koga grabbed Kurama's hand, brought it to his mouth, and kissed it. "Names Prince Koga," Kurama's eyes glinted. _A prince? Prince equals riches. More for Youko indeed._

_**You're so greedy. That was your downfall, remember?**_

_No one ASKED you._

"My name is Youko Kurama," Kurama said with a smile. Inuyasha growled and knocked Koga to the side.

"Buzz off flea bag!" Inuyasha snarled. Kurama blinked in confusion. First he was looking at a rather handsome wolf demon, now he was staring at the back of a white head. He tilted his head to the side as he watched Koga and Inuyasha glare at each other. _Am I missing something here?_

**_Me thinks someone has a crush for someone else!_**

_Well, I think he's interesting and all, but we just met!_

**_One, that wouldn't ever stop you and you know that. Two, I wasn't talking about the damn wolf, I was talking about the stupid dog._**

_What? Inuyasha likes me?Hm...that does explain a lot..._

**_Good job genius, for finding things out on your own..._**

_You did say you were me so in a sense, of course I did!_

"What's with you, mutt!" Koga growled. "Can't you see I'm talking to my future mate?" Koga gave Kurama a grin. Kurama raised an eyebrow. Inuyasha stepped further in front of Kurama.

"You wish!" Inuyasha growled. "Let's go Kurama," With that said, Inuyasha grabbed Kurama's wrist and dragged him along. Kurama was too shocked to react so he just allowed himself to be dragged. When they caught up with the group, Kurama slipped his hand from Inuyasha and raised an eyebrow.

"What was that about?" He asked. Inuyasha furrowed his brow.

"What was what?"

"Never mind," Kurama sighed as he walked past Inuyasha.

_**Dogs are idiots.**_

_Tell me about it..._ Kurama rolled his eyes with a sigh.

* * *

As Hiei continued on further, the strength and glow of the trail of Ki was getting stronger and clear which meant he wasn't too far from where his fox was. He pulled out the small communication device Botan had given him. All he got was static. He frowned. Why is it that the device won't work here? He cursed and sped up his pace. "I'm coming for you, fox."

* * *

Kurama sighed as he watched the fish in the stream. The group had stopped yet again. He stared at his reflection and frowned. His eyes were glowing for some odd reason. He dipped his hands into the water and splashed it on his face. He went back to staring at the fish, whom of which came back - as if curious about the odd being staring down at them. He glanced sideways when Inuyasha sat down next to him. "What do you want, dog?" Kurama grumbled.

"You've been distant lately," Inuyasha said, looking at him. "What's wrong with you?"

"Distant?" Kurama frowned, turning his head to face Inuyasha fully. Inuyasha nodded. "Don't you have to be close to a person to be distant all of a sudden to them?" Inuyasha glared at him.

"Well, excuse me for worrying about you, stupid fox!" Inuyasha growled. Kurama raised an eyebrow, snickered, and said:

"I thought you hated me," to which Inuyasha yelled in response:

"OH shut up! I do hate you!" Inuyasha shouted. Kurama snickered again. "Stop being such a stuck up bitch all the time!" Kurama's expression suddenly darkened. Inuyasha paled at his sudden shift in mood. He tensed as the fox stood up. He relaxed - though regreted it afterwards - when the fox turned away from him and took a step away from him. Kurama turned suddenly and kicked Inuyasha into the water. Inuyasha yelped as he flew head first into the water. He sputtered and growled as he watched the silver fox walk away. "Get back here you bastard!" Inuyasha yelled. Kagome and the others watched the two dash off - yet again.

"They are so in love with each other," Shippo said. Kagome nodded in agreement.

* * *

Inuyasha managed to tackle and pin Kurama to the ground - again. He snarled down at the fox who just laughed at him. "You're all red, Inuyasha." Kurama sniggered. Inuyasha huffed.

"Oh shut up you damned fox!" Inuyasha growled. He sat there straddling the fox; their faces so close, their heavy panting mingled together. Inuyasha closed his eyes and leaned down, pressing his lips firmly to the fox under him. Kurama's eyes widened. As soon as Inuyasha's lips touched Kurama's; However, both canine demons felt a tremendous surge of demon energy. Inuyasha snapped his gaze up in time to see a fire ball flying at him. He jumped away and Kurama let out a gasp when that same fire ball whizzed over him. He sat up just to see a black blur fly past him.

* * *

Hiei was getting closer. He could tell. The Ki was even stronger and the scent of his mate was not faint. He was in the area where he'd find his fox at. He smiled to himself. He closed the Jagan and opened his eyes. His fox was right there. There was another demon energy with him and he frowned. He hoped it wasn't the one that had kidnapped him. He masked his presence and slowly crept through the bushes. His eyes widened when he saw who he knew to be his mate pinned to the ground with another demon on top of him in what looked like a force kiss. He growled and let the mask crumble. _This thing will die!_

* * *

"What the fuck!" Inuyasha yelled as the black blur ran at him again. Inuyasha barely had a chance to pull Tessaiga from the sheath to block. Kurama was too shocked by the kiss and the fire ball to really be aware of what was going on around him. "Kurama, don't just sit there!"

"How dare command my fox to do anything!" The blur hissed. Kurama's eyes widened.

_That voice…That scent…That Ki…It's…_

_**I think this is that guy I was talking about...but its kinda fuzzy...what was his name?**_

_Why is it that I can't remember him?_

_**..He holds some significance - you feel that mental pull...**_

_What? Its coming from him?_

**_Indeed it is._**

"Fox!" Hiei snapped, gaining Kurama's attention. Kurama looked at him with blank golden orbs. He shook his head and glanced briefly at Inuyasha who seemed to be unconscious against a tree.

"What did you do to him?" Kurama demanded. Hiei narrowed his eyes at Kurama. He stomped over to the fox and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.

"Snap OUT of it!" Hiei snarled and slapped Kurama hard enough to bruise. That's when the rest of Inuyasha's group decided to show up.

"What the heck happened here?" Shippo asked as they all took in the bruised and obviously unconscious Inuyasha, the dark demon now holding onto Kurama, and the nice hand-size, red bruise forming on Kurama's cheek.

"Oh my gosh, Inuyasha!" Kagome cried as she looked at the unconscious and bloody inu-hanyou. She looked at Hiei and Kurama and her eyes widened.

"That demon is very powerful…." Miroku said. "He seems to be even more so than Shuichi."

"Wha…Hiei?" Kurama whispered as he stared up at Hiei. Hiei nodded. Kurama's eyes slowly bled emerald and tears gathered at the corners of his eyes. "Oh…Hiei I'm so sorry,"

"For what?," Hiei asked with a frown. "OW!" He cried when Kurama suddenly punched him in the arm and glared. He stood up and glared down at Hiei. "What the hell was that for."

"That was for smacking me!" Kurama growled. He punched Hiei in the other arm.

"Fox!"

"That was for suddenly leaving!" Kurama yelled. He punched Hiei again. "And that's for not coming back to visit from time to time or at least sending me something to know you were still alive!" He punched him again.

"What the hell was that one for?"

"For Yusuke from a long time ago," Kurama said. He hugged Hiei who just huffed. "I missed you koi."

"Why did you act like you didn't know me?" Hiei asked with a frown. Kurama pulled away from Hiei and frowned at him.

"To be honest, I'm not sure...I really couldn't pull myself to know your name at first." Kurama shook his head. "Something odd has been going on lately and it seems it has just gotten worse since I've come to find myself in this era."

"This era?" Hiei asked with a frown. Kurama nodded and opened his mouth to explain but Kagome cut him off:

"I'd hate to break up this…endearing?" Kagome frowned. "Okay…endearing seen but….what the heck just happened here?" Hiei glared at her and then at Inuyasha who began to wake up. Hiei growled as he began to walk towards Inuyasha but Kurama grabbed him by the collar of his cloak and yanked him back.

"Don't, Hiei," Kurama sighed. Kurama looked at Kagome. "This is Hiei; He's my mate," Kurama explained as he yanked Hiei back again when the smaller demon tried to run at Inuyasha again. "Hiei!"

"I'll kill him!" Hiei growled. "No one touches my fox like that!"

"Settle down Hiei!" Kurama said. Hiei snarled and then looked up at Kurama.

"Let's go, we are leaving!"

"I can't leave!"

"Why not?"

"I tried and it failed. I've been stuck here for the past 2 weeks…" Kurama grumbled.

"What was that thing doing on top of you?" Hiei pointed an accusing finger at Inuyasha who stood up with help from Kagome and Sango.

"On top of… INUYASHA!" Kagome hollered. "Why were you molesting my cousin?"

"I did NOT molest him!" Inuyasha shouted. Kurama cried out and fell to his knees. His headache came back full force.

_**Something is here!**_

_Wh-what?_

"Kurama!" Hiei and Inuyasha shouted at the same time. Kagome and Sango squeaked when Inuyasha broke free from them and took of running towards Kurama.

"Since when has Inuyasha called Shuichi by his demon name?" Shippo asked. Kagome and Sango shrugged. Miroku sighed.

Kurama was pulling at his hair and clawing at his scalp. The pain was just unbearable.

_What is here?_

**_Move!_**

"Fox, what's wrong?" Hiei asked urgently.

"Head…" Kurama whimpered.

"Stop fighting it then, you idiot!" Inuyasha snapped. Hiei growled at him.

"What the hell did you do to my fox!"

"What? Your fox? You mean MY fox and I didn't do anything to him!" Inuyasha yelled back. Kagome's eyes widened.

"Ha! I told you guys," Shippo grinned. "Inuyasha is in love with Shuichi!"

"Get the hell away from him!" Hiei snarled and pushed Inuyasha away. Inuyasha caught himself before lashing out and punching Hiei in the face.

"Guys!" Kagome yelled.

"You bastard!" Inuyasha growled. The two engaged into a fist fight before Kurama let out a loud growl that seemed to rumble the ground.

_**It is feeding off these two idiots! We must move away from them! Move! Run!**_

"CUT IT OUT!" He shouted. He stood up, flashing between his demon form and his human form. Hiei and Inuyasha turned to look at the red head/ silver haired demon. It seemed he was in an in-between form of his demon and human self. His hair was silver but faded to red, then blood red at the tips. His eyes were green with golden rim and flecks of gold in the green orbs. His tail matched his hair. He was glaring angrily between Hiei and Inuyasha.

"Fox," Hiei took a step forward. _**Go! **_Kurama took a step back before turning and running off. "Kurama!"

"This is all your fault!" Inuyasha shouted.

"MY FAULT!" Hiei roared. "This is your fault! You started all this shit when you molested MY fox!" Hiei shouted.

"He's not yours!"

"He sure as hell isn't yours! I've been mated to Kurama for the past 9 months!" Hiei growled.

"What?" Inuyasha looked shocked before he shook it off and glared. "Well, too bad he likes me now!"

"He does?" Kagome, Sango, and Miroku asked. Inuyasha glared at them and said:

"Stay outta this!" before he turned to run after Kurama.

"HEY! Stay away from my fox!" Hiei growled as he too ran after them.

"I'm not too sure this will end in the favor of Inuyasha," Sango mumbled. Miroku nodded.

"This demon is very powerful. I'm sure this demon rivals even Lord Sesshomaru in strength," Miroku said, nodding sagely as he spoke. Kagome frowned and looked down the path the two demons had taken.

"We have to find Shuichi..." Kagome whispered. She bit her lip. "But we should stop those two from fighting before Inuyasha gets killed...Mating? He said he and Shuichi were mated, what does that mean?" Kagome looked at Miroku and Sango.

"It is the demon equivalent to a Human's marriage - except...it is for life and even after death," Sango explained.

"After death?" Kagome asked with a confused frown. They all jumped when they heard a loud crash.

"Explain it later, right now we must stop those two," Miroku said. The others nodded their agreement.


	5. Chapter 5

**Original Author's Notes:**

**Shiori** calls Kurama Shu-kun and calls Shuichi – Shuichi-kun.

**Kurama** calls Shuichi - Shu-kun.

**Kagome** calls Kurama Shu-kun when Shuichi is in the room or just plain Shuichi whenever they're alone or when Shuichi isn't in the room. _When it is kind of in the **POV of Kagome**, Kurama will be referred to as Shuichi._

**Kazuya** calls his son Shu-kun and calls Kurama Shuichi but he calls both of them son at times.

**Shuichi **calls Kurama Shuichi-nii.

_._

**Btw about the time space continuum thing:**

I had put some thought into it and that was what the original chapter 3 was about. Kurama asking about the past and what was the exact time they were in. Of course it doesn't have to be linked to Youko's past life because technically they never said from what time a thousand years ago that he had been Youko and that he'd been hunted down. And of course there is the thing that back here there was no separation from demon word, spirit world, or the human world. All of it was together. I'm not going to tell you how I'm gonna play that out, you'll just have to read and find out.

_._

**_Demon_**

_Response to Demon_

_'thoughts'_

"Normal speech"

.

**BTW: About the whole only about 1,000 years old**. In actual, He's about 3,000 years old. In the Three Kings Arc (which had not been translated yet at the time that the Dark Tournament Arc was being dubbed) it is stated that Yomi rose to power about 500 years ago- AFTER Kurama had hired an assassin to kill/blind him. This didn't fit with the plot as set by the dubbers of him being about 1,000 years old, since Kurama couldn't be taking hits out on people 100 years before he was born. In actually, Togashi (author of the series) was using the lesser known version of the tale: a kitsune gaining another tail every 1,000- not 100- years. So with 4 tails (and being born with 1), Kurama would be around 3,000 years old.

Extensive research plus my best friend is a Yuu-Yuu Hakusho expert.

.

**Rin, Jaken, & Sesshomaru **refer to Kurama as **Yonbi **since they don't know who he really is. When it's in the **_POV of either of them _**Youko/Kurama's name will be replaced by **Yonbi. So when you see Yonbi, **they are talking about Kurama.

**_Notes will be repeated in each chapter to thwart confusion._**

**Chapter 5:**

Kurama, deciding he was a safe distance away from Hiei and Inuyasha, stopped. He could no longer since them and doubted they could sense him. His fleeing brought him to a cave. He sighed as he slid down the wall, staring out of the mouth of cave as it began to pour. He tugged at his hair to distract himself from the pain splitting through his head – though why he believed pulling at his hair would help any still remains a mystery to even himself. His head was killing him, but he wasn't suppressing his demon. What was wrong with him?

_What is wrong with me? _He had been talking to his inner demon but it had fallen oddly silent ever since he left Inuyasha and Hiei. _Hello? _Why was it that he could no longer hear his demon?

**_You're denying us of a good mate._** That took Kurama by surprised. The demon hadn't spoken a word like that since now.

_What? What are you talking about? We have a mate already! _His demon was silent for a moment before it spoke up louder than before:

**_We do not want to associate ourselves with a forbidden child. We will mate with the dog demon!_**

_Inuyasha is just as forbidden as Hiei! He is the offspring of a human and demon! Where is this all coming from? _His demon, again, fell silent. Kurama gripped his head even tighter and clenched his eyes shut as the voice got louder and more aggressive:

**_We are also half human and half demon._**

_Hiei is very strong! We've known each other for years!_

**_Inuyasha is also strong…though I believe his brother is stronger, let us find him._**

_Who the hell are you? _This couldn't be his inner demon. He never remembered talking to his inner demon hurting like this. _Get out of my head!_

**_It is also my head,_**

_Who are you….?_

**_I am you and you are I._**

_Leave me alone…please…_

**_Not until you give in and mate with Inuyasha or his brother Sesshomaru._**

_Why?_

**_Because that is what we want._**

_That is what YOU want!_

**_You forget we are one of the same._**

_No we are NOT._

**_Believe what you want._**

Kurama growled angrily and began to bang his head against the wall behind him.

**_Hurting yourself will not get rid of me._**

_If I go unconscious I will not have to hear you!_

**_I could always invade your dreams._**

_My dreams, you say? Wouldn't that make them yours as well since you are me?_

That made the voice silent. Kurama stared ahead of him with blank eyes. He didn't even jump when he heard voices enter the cave.

* * *

"My lord, what is that?" Rin whispered pointing at the stagnant figure staring blankly ahead. Jaken frowned.

"Is it dead?"

"No," Sesshomaru said. He let his gaze travel over the prone figure against the wall. He hadn't sensed a threat when they had happened upon the cave. This creature seemed to be harmless, for it didn't smell like a human nor did it feel like a demon. He walked a little ways in the cave before sitting down. "Just ignore it," he said after awhile.

"It looks sad," Rin said with a frown. Sesshomaru frowned as Rin started towards it.

"Rin!" Sesshomaru snapped. The human girl ignored Sesshomaru and walked up to the silvery red creature.

"Hi, Rin's name is Rin!" She said. The creature's gaze slowly turned to her and blinked in shock.

* * *

He knew he had heard someone but didn't know if it was really there. To his surprise, a human girl was standing in front of him. He looked past her to see Sesshomaru and the green toad thing. He frowned as the voice started up again, growing louder after every word.

**_Now is your chance._**

_Shut up!_

**_Not until you take him as a mate._**

Kurama began to growl.

* * *

Sesshomaru tensed when the creature began to growl. The amount of energy coming from him was truly astounding. Sesshomaru stood, drawing tokijin as Rin ran behind him whimpering. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes as he prepared the creature were to pounce. To his surprise the growling to be replaced with whimpering as the creature gripped his head.

* * *

**_Stop denying us!_**

_Shut up!_

**_We need him!_**

_SHUT UP!_

**_GO TO HIM~!_**

"SHUT UP!" Kurama shouted, pulling at his hair even harder. Rin's eyes widened and she looked up at Sesshomaru.

"Sesshomaru, what's wrong with it?" Rin whispered. Sesshomaru's eyes quickly roamed over the figure and he frowned slightly.

"Poor creature," Jaken mumbled. Sesshomaru looked down at him. "He's been possessed,"

"Possessed?" Sesshomaru asked. Jaken nodded.

"I'm not sure how, though, because this demon usually takes over humans and corrupt them which turns them in to soul-less….well demon puppets!" Jaken said. Sesshomaru frowned.

"What do you mean? He…" Sesshomaru paused and stared at the trembling demon. "He looks like a kitsune,"

"That's why it is so odd," Jaken said. He looked up at his lord.

"What is going to happen to him?" Sesshomaru asked after a moment's pause.

"He's going to slowly fall in the pits of insanity before he either kills himself or the demon within in him kills him," Jaken explained. Sesshomaru watched the demon begin to bang his head against the wall. He frowned.

"A pity," He said.

"Lord Sesshomaru! Please, let's help him!" Rin cried. Sesshomaru looked down at her. He looked at Jaken.

"How do you get rid of the demon?"

"Well….The only way to get rid of it is if you can see it," Jaken said.

"Is that it?" Sesshomaru asked as he watched the demon curl in on himself.

"Yes, my lord!"

"How do I see it?" Sesshomaru asked.

"He must appease the demon. Grant the demon what it is asking him or telling him to do," Jaken said. Sesshomaru frowned, walking over to the sobbing demon. He gazed down at the trembling demon before squatting down next to him to which the demon's eyes snapped open to gaze at him. To Sesshomaru's surprise, his eyes were flashing – red, green and gold.

"What is it that the demon is asking of you?" Sesshomaru asked as he stared into the demon's eyes.

"Mate…you…" The demon sobbed. Sesshomaru and Jaken's eyes widened.

"Mate me?" Sesshomaru asked with a frown. The demon nodded its head vigorously.

**_Yes! Mate with him!_**

_Shut up! Get out of my head!_

**_Not until you mate with him!_**

_I love Hiei!_

**_NO YOU DON'T! He doesn't want you either!_**

The demon began to cry even harder. Sesshomaru frowned. He leaned in on the demon's neck. "I will mate with you," Sesshomaru said simply. The demon gasped. Sesshomaru saw an almost translucent person standing next to the still demon. Sesshomaru shot out with his claws and grabbed the figure by the neck. The demon in his grasp gasped, becoming visible. Large blue eyes widened, regarding Sesshomaru with shock.

"H-How did you see me?" He croaked. Sesshomaru's hand tightened around the neck. The demon grinned. "If you…kill me…you will…kill hi…him…too…" The demon coughed. Sesshomaru paused, looking down at the trembling demon on the ground, musing over the apparition's implications. He turned his attention back to the demon in his grasp, who's grin widened. The grin was immediately wiped from his face at Sesshomaru's next words:

"He'd be better off dead then," Sesshomaru said with a shrug. He clenched his hand and the demon's head was separated from his body. Sesshomaru looked down when there was a spike of energy. He stepped back from the no-longer-humanoid, red-silver demon on the floor. He frowned when the energy suddenly dropped low to nearly non-existent. He stared down at the red-silver fox lying limply on the ground. The red slowly left the fur, becoming solid shimmering silver.

"What happened, lord Sesshomaru?" Rin asked as she peered at the fox lying on the ground. Sesshomaru shrugged before sitting down across from Rin.

"Is it dead?" Jaken asked.

"No," Sesshomaru answered. Rin started for it. "Rin!" Sesshomaru snarled. Rin froze. "Leave it be," Rin frowned but nodded. She looked at the fox before running back over to Sesshomaru.

* * *

Sesshomaru's eyes slowly opened. He turned his head to look out the cave and he was glad that it had stopped raining. He was getting ready to stand but he felt something warm in his lap. He looked down and frowned at the silver fox in his lap. He looked to glare at Rin but there was no scent of fox on her so she couldn't have picked it up and placed it here. Sesshomaru grabbed the fox by the scruff of its neck and brought it up to his face. Large golden eyes regarded him. The eyes were just blank pools of gold. Sesshomaru grimaced when the fox licked him. He pulled it away and growled. He dropped the fox and stood. Rin woke up from the sudden movement of her pillow. "Lord Sesshomaru?" She looked down at the fox and her eyes widened.

"The fox is alive," Jaken mumbled. The fox looked at him and tilted its head to the side.

"Come," Sesshomaru said as he walked out the cave. The moment he stepped out the cave, he stopped. He felt a small weight bump into his ankle and he looked down at the fox that was following them. "Not you," Sesshomaru snarled. The fox flattened its ears and lay on its stomach. Sesshomaru continued on with Rin and Jaken at his heels. He stopped again just to feel the same weight on his ankle. He turned and glared down at the fox. The fox lay on the ground and flattened its ears. "Do not follow," The fox tilted its head to the side slightly. Sesshomaru turned again and the three continued on.

After some time of walking, Sesshomaru stopped them near a lake for them to rest. Sesshomaru stared at the fish floating around. He managed to catch 2 before the others swam off deeper into the water. He flung the fish to Jaken. "For you and Rin," He said and sat against the tree.

"What about you, my lord?" Jaken asked.

"I am not hungry," Sesshomaru grumbled. After Jaken and Rin had started eating the cooked food, Sesshomaru was kind of regretting not getting something for himself. A yip brought his attention to the fox from earlier and he growled. The fox was dragging a large fish with him. Sesshomaru frowned as he watched the fox drag it all the way next to him and looked up at him. The fish looked like it had bear claws on it so it seemed the fox had stolen someone else's food. Sesshomaru shook his head but took the offered fish anyway and threw it at Jaken who immediately started cooking it. He tolerated raw meat but when it came to fish, he could not eat it raw no matter the circumstances.

"Here you are, my lord!" Jaken said as he handed the now cooked fish to him. Sesshomaru nodded and took a bite from the fish. He stared at the fox as the fox stared blankly at him. Sesshomaru sighed and ripped a part of the fish off and handed it to the fox. The fox began to eat the part given to him.

* * *

Hiei growled. His fox's scent and energy completely vanished. That could only mean he was either badly injured or he was dead. Hiei was hoping it was not the latter. He stood on top of the tree and watched as the dog demon below sniffed the air about trying to pick up Kurama's scent. Hiei turned slightly to see that the humans had caught up with them. He growled angrily. This was all that dog's fault!

* * *

"La la la~" Rin skipped ahead of Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru watched as the fox ran around Rin and the came back to walk beside him. The fox wouldn't stray far from him and he was getting a bit irritated because he almost tripped over it three times. "Look, Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin gasped as she pointed up a tree. "Those are huge apples!" Sesshomaru cut one down and handed it to Rin. The fox growled and jumped up and knocked it out of her hand. "Hey!" Sesshomaru frowned as Rin tried to pick up the apple and the fox snipped at her hand.

"Here, Rin," Sesshomaru sighed, believing the fox was simply stingy. He knocked another one down and fox growled at it and knocked it out of Rin's hand again. Rin huffed and glared. Sesshomaru watched as the fox sniffed the apple before rolling it in the bush and then going to do the same with the other. Sesshomaru frowned and cut another apple down and cut it in half. He wrinkled his nose at the strong smell and instantly understood why the fox wouldn't let Rin eat it. The apples weren't really apples but large fruits that were a delicacy to some demons but poisonous to others and deadly to humans. Sesshomaru allowed the fruit to drop from his hand and he watched the fox roll it into the bushes.

"The fruits are poisonous," Sesshomaru said and continued to walk. Rin gasped and looked at the fox.

"You saved me!" Rin shouted with a large grin on her face. The fox yipped and followed after Sesshomaru.

"Hm…" Jaken mumbled as he followed behind Sesshomaru and Rin.

* * *

"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried. Inuyasha turned to look at her and the two frowned at each other. "Maybe you two should team up?"

"Hn, I don't need a half human to help me," Hiei said with his nose in the air. Kagome glared at him.

"Feh, as if I need this shrimp to help me," Inuyasha and Hiei both went separate ways. Kagome sighed.

"Boys…"

"Indeed…" Sango agreed.

"Why can't they see they'll get a lot more done together?" Kagome stomped her foot. "If something bad happens to Shuichi, I'm going to purify both of them to hell and back!"

* * *

Sesshomaru sat silently watching Rin and the fox play with each other. He looked to his side at Jaken and Ah-Un. "Jaken, why do you believe the fox has taken to following us?"

"Ah!" Jaken looked startled for a minute before answering: "I believe when you killed that demon, it reverted this demon into a more fragile state of mind and he just hooked onto you like a life line. He may even think you are his parent since you are silver just like him." Jaken said. Sesshomaru nodded.

"We should give him a name!" Rin said. She looked at the fox and the fox stared up at her and tilted its head. "How about Yonbi?" She asked, looking at Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru shrugged. She smiled and looked at the fox. "Yonbi!" She exclaimed as she pointed at the fox. The fox yipped and did a spin before pouncing on her and licking her face, the 4 tails of his lazily flicking back and forth.

"Why does this fox have 4 tails and yet it is small?" Sesshomaru asked.

"The reverting might have done something to his size? Or maybe the fox is just…a kit?"

"Impossible…" Sesshomaru mumbled to himself. "This fox is older than I am." Jaken's eyes widened.

"Maybe it has two forms? Like that cat demon that's always with Inuyasha and his humans." Jaken suggested. Sesshomaru was silent before he nodded in agreement.

"That may be," Sesshomaru mumbled. Rin and Yonbi looked at Sesshomaru and they both ran over to him.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin cried as she buried her face in his neck. Sesshomaru frowned in confusion. He looked down at the fox burrowing in between him and Rin. She pointed in the distance and he saw what made the two so frightened. It was a large demon making its way towards them. Why was it he was not able to sense the demon - more importantly why can he _still _not sense the demon? He sighed, picking Rin up who held onto the fox. Sesshomaru placed Rin down on Ah-Un and stepped forward to meet the demon half a way. After disposing of the demon, he went back to see Rin and Youko staring at him, though Yonbi's gaze was on his missing arm.

"Come," Sesshomaru said as he began to walk. Ah-Un followed behind with Rin, Jaken, and Yonbi sitting on top of them.

* * *

Sesshomaru again stopped. He sighed and turned to see that Rin and Yonbi had fallen asleep. He sat down against a tree. That's when the two stirred and large brown and gold orbs settled on him. The two on Ah-Un jumped down and ran over to Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru watched as the two nuzzled against him. He sighed and patted the foxes head and then Rin's. Rin smiled up at him while Yonbi just stared.

* * *

Inuyasha growled as he came to a stop. It was hopeless. He looked to his side to see the small demon standing there with his eyes closed. "The human is right," Hiei said as he opened his eyes to stare at Inuyasha. Inuyasha's eyes darted to the eye on the other's forehead. It had closed as soon as the demon opened his eyes. "We will need to team up to look for Kurama," Hiei nodded. Inuyasha sighed.

"Yeah…"

* * *

**Adoptive Author's Note:**

** Sadly, this wasn't my originally planned posting. The fact I - stupidly might I add - decided to do all my editing in the fanfiction browser, I literally destroyed every single edit I made for this chapter. Bearing that in mind, for I had extended this chapter by at least 6k words, I am completely angry with both myself and my keyboard and chrome. I could not even manage to bring it back up in cache because chrome wants to be aggravating as par usual. So it is with a heavy heart that I proclaim: this chapter is probably crappy. I liked the first version of this chapter I had, but alas, cannot remember word from word of what I had edited. Not a lot was edited but the parts that WERE, were just expanded on and it really makes me angry when I think about how long I spent typing it just to lose everything!**

**UGH!**

**Even after this….I want to say minor but I know it's not minor….setback, I will keep things going as I planned.**

**What killed this chapter was me writing in the dark. I was trying to add the latest AN to the top of the page but instead of pressing Shift + R to make a capital letter, I pressed CTRL + R which refreshed the page and – I'm going to stop talking about it before I get mad and chuck my mouse across the room again. Anyway, thanks for reading this little rant (if you even got this far) because I REALLY needed to blow off steam typing this before I chuck my computer out the window next.**

**:D**

**Anyway, if it's no inconvenience to you, drop a line on whether you like the changes or not. Reviews are appreciated, but I don't really require them.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Original Author's Notes:**

**Shiori** calls Kurama Shu-kun and calls Shuichi – Shuichi-kun.

**Kurama** calls Shuichi - Shu-kun.

**Kagome** calls Kurama Shu-kun when Shuichi is in the room or just plain Shuichi whenever they're alone or when Shuichi isn't in the room. _When it is kind of in the __POV of Kagome__, Kurama will be referred to as Shuichi._

**Kazuya** calls his son Shu-kun and calls Kurama Shuichi but he calls both of them son at times.

**Shuichi** calls Kurama Shuichi-nii.

_._

**Btw about the time space continuum thing:**

I had put some thought into it and that was what the original chapter 3 was about. Kurama asking about the past and what was the exact time they were in. Of course it doesn't have to be linked to Youko's past life because technically they never said from what time a thousand years ago that he had been Youko and that he'd been hunted down. And of course there is the thing that back here there was no separation from demon word, spirit world, or the human world. All of it was together. I'm not going to tell you how I'm gonna play that out, you'll just have to read and find out.

_._

_**Demon**_

_Response to Demon_

_'thoughts'_

"Normal speech"

.

**BTW: About the whole only about 1,000 years old.** In actual, He's about 3,000 years old. In the Three Kings Arc (which had not been translated yet at the time that the Dark Tournament Arc was being dubbed) it is stated that Yomi rose to power about 500 years ago- AFTER Kurama had hired an assassin to kill/blind him. This didn't fit with the plot as set by the dubbers of him being about 1,000 years old, since Kurama couldn't be taking hits out on people 100 years before he was born. In actually, Togashi (author of the series) was using the lesser known version of the tale: a kitsune gaining another tail every 1,000- not 100- years. So with 4 tails (and being born with 1), Kurama would be around 3,000 years old.

Extensive research plus my best friend is a Yuu-Yuu Hakusho expert.

.

**Rin, Jaken, & Sesshomaru** refer to Kurama as Yonbi since they don't know who he really is. When it's in the _**POV of either of them **_Youko/Kurama's name will be replaced by Yonbi. So when you see Yonbi, they are talking about Kurama.

_**Notes will be repeated in each chapter to thwart confusion.**_

**Chapter 6:**

It had been a month since the disappearance of her baby and she was not taking it well. Shiori has been slumped over the arm of cough in the living room, occasionally muttering something incoherent. A shudder of disdain would run through her after going silent, causing her sister to shoot her worried glances now and again. Accompanied by her shudders were sniffles and quiet cries of "my baby, my baby, he's gone…" The idea that she could have just lost her only blood son made eating and sleeping difficult. She'd only move when nature called but then sat back down slouched over the chair, staring at the door.

Kazuya, with a frown marring his face, turned to Nodoka and asked: "Is there anything we can do?" to which Yusuke frowned to. He [Yusuke] and the others had been coming back every day to see what progress was made – which was none at all.

"Maybe I should go down there and see what I can find,"

"I'd go with you!" Kuwabara shouted. They looked at Botan.

"Did you make those new compact things?" Yusuke asked. Botan nodded and handed both boys the small, pink communicators. "Let's go Kuwabara," Yusuke headed towards the back with Kuwabara and Botan in tow. Shiori, noticing the three leaving, jumped up and followed after them. Kazuya and Nodoka exchanged looks before they two followed after the trio, Shuichi, Sota, and Nodoka's father trailing after.

Both Yusuke and Kuwabara stood on the mouth of the well. "Are you sure this will work?" Shiori asked, her voice laced with worry. Yusuke turned to look at her and said:

"It won't hurt to try, right?" Yusuke was a smile. He gave her a _thumbs up_ and winked. "Don't worry Mrs. Hatakana! We'll get your son back!"

"Here goes nothing!" Kuwabara shouted. Yusuke jumped down into the well followed closely by Kuwabara. Silence passed between everyone for all of 5 seconds before they all heard a loud thud accompanied by a groan. Everyone ran closer to the well, straining to look down it.

"What happened?" Botan shouted down the well. "Yusuke? Kazuma?"

"Kazuma here," Kuwabara groaned. "Yusuke disappeared."

"That's strange…" Botan mumbled. "I wonder how it is that Kuwabara was not able to jump down…"

"It may have something do with family relations?" Nodoka asked. "Shuichi is blood related to Kagome and she can jump down. Her friend Inuyasha can travel over because he wears a locket that Kagome gave him…at least that's what they said…"

"But how did Hiei get in there?" Kuwabara asked as he climbed out of the well rubbing the back of his head.

"Ah!" Botan snapped her fingers. "Hiei and Kurama must be mates!"

"How did Yusuke get through?" Kuwabara yelled.

"Yusuke was wearing that little bracelet that Kurama had gotten him for his birthday," Botan said.

"Who is this Kurama?" Shiori asked. She had been listening in on their conversation for the past month, utterly confused. Botan and Kuwabara seemed to freeze.

"Uh-oh…"

* * *

For the past 2 months, Sesshomaru felt himself become attached to the small fox. The fox, like Ah-Un, held intelligence he probably would never comprehend. And like the dragon, the fox also seemed protective of Rin which was an added bonus.

Sesshomaru, with his eyes closed, rested back against a tree. Even with his eyes closed, he was hyper-aware of his surroundings. His ear twitched only slightly as the sounds of Rin and Yonbi playing – yipping and giggling.

Suddenly, a wail pierced his sensitive ear drums, causing his eyes to snap open in alarm. His cold, ambers immediately settled on the source of the wail: Rin had fallen into the river. The small fox was attempting to drag her back but his small stature made it impossible; however, he was able to keep Rin from dropping below the surface or floating farther down the river.

With a slightly annoyed sigh, Sesshomaru stood and made his way over to them. As soon as he was in range, he picked Rin up by the scruff of her Kimono, staring at her with his mouth in a thin line. "Rin slipped on the rocks and fell in….Yonbi tried to save Rin but he's too small!" Sesshomaru looked down at the fox who sat on his hunches with his tail waving lazily behind him. The fox tilted its head to the side and Sesshomaru shook his head, amusement dancing in his golden eyes.

"Let us go," Sesshomaru said as he placed Rin gently down on the ground and walked over to Ah-Un. He pulled out a kimono from the bags on saddle of the two-headed dragon, tossing to Rin. "Change from those wet clothes first,"

After Rin changed into the dry kimono, Sesshomaru and his small troupe started off again. Yonbi continued to run circles around them: He'd first make an entire trip around the group, then a smaller circle around Rin (who giggled in response), before running through Sesshomaru's legs and almost tripping him – more than once. Sesshomaru, beyond annoyed at this point, glared at the little silver bullet. He was getting ready to snatch up the fox, but a surge of unfamiliar energy made him stop and tense. The energy was coming towards them and fast. "Rin!" He called, urging her closer to him. Grabbing her up, he placed her on Ah-Un and beckoned over Yonbi. Said fox looked at him in confusion. "Come here Yonbi." Sesshomaru growled. Yonbi ran over to him and yipped. "Be silent, kitsune." He said as he sat the fox on top of Ah-Un. Yonbi yipped in protest at being placed on the dragon's back. He'd rather run around then sit stationary. "Shush!" the daiyoukai ground out more fiercely, causing Yonbi to whimper then fall silent. _'Odd…' _Sesshomaru frowned. The energy had completely disappeared.

Sesshomaru attention was pulled from the fox when someone burst from the bushes. He frowned in confusion. It was Inuyasha. '_The energy could not have been him….it was too powerful and dark to be Inuyasha's….unless…'_

"Bastard!" Inuyasha growled, cutting off Sesshomaru's thought.

"We agreed to work together, that doesn't mean you have to stick so close to me," At the sound of the voice, Sesshomaru felt that strange, dark energy again. He felt it so close, but he couldn't even see the source. This put Sesshomaru on edge.

A moment later a small black blur darted out of the bushes and a small figure stood on the branches of the tree above Inuyasha. That's when Inuyasha noticed Sesshomaru's presence.

"Sesshomaru," Inuyasha gasped in shock. "What are you doing here?" Inuyasha demanded. Sesshomaru's mouth went into a thin line.

"It is a forest," Sesshomaru simply pointed out. Deciding the two weren't worthy of paying attention to, Sesshomaru continued passed Inuyasha with Ah-Un (carrying Yonbi and Rin) following after.

"Hi Inuyasha!" Rin called, waving as they passed him.

"Fox?" Sesshomaru frowned, glancing back at Yonbi when he felt the fox's sudden change in demeanor. The fox had snapped its gaze up at the dark figure. "Kurama?" Yonbi began to yip. His excited yips turned to angry snarls and growls.

"Silence," Sesshomaru snapped. Yonbi's yipping was instantly replacecd by low whining as he nuzzled against Rin. Suddenly, the dark figure appeared in front of Sesshomaru, glaring up at him.

"Who the hell are you to tell MY fox what to do?" he growled.

"Your fox?" Inuyasha yelled, gaining Sesshomaru and the dark demon's attention. "Kurama is mine!" With that Inuyasha tackled the dark figure to the ground. Sesshomaru's brows furrowed as he watched the two demons fight each other. He glanced back at Yonbi with a thoughtful expression. Mokomoko-sama, the fur on his shoulder, glowed as Sesshomaru was lifted off the ground with clouds materializing under his feet. Ah-Un understood and instantly took flight as Sesshomaru did as well.

* * *

Sesshomaru silently watched the fox closely. Since their encounter with Inuyasha and that mysterious dark demon, the fox had been silent and in-active. It was starting to worry Sesshomaru; slightly. Slightly being the keyword.

Sesshomaru sighed, "Little Kitsune," with said silver fox's head snapping up to stare at Sesshomaru. "What troubles you?" And his response was short yips that he couldn't understand, causing him to stare blankly at the fox. The fox, seeming to realize Sesshomaru couldn't understand him, made a disgruntle sound, before giving a sound that sounded suspiciously like a sigh – then he rolled its eyes!

He laid down and rested his head on his front paws. It seemed like the fox was silently mumbling but it was just low growling. Sesshomaru shook his head as Ah-Un seemed to understand what he was muttering and snorted in what seemed to be amusement. Sesshomaru glanced between Ah-Un and the fox. "You understand him, don't you." It was more of a statement then a question. Ah-Un nodded. Sesshomaru leaned back against the tree he was sitting in front of, looking up at the trees. He glanced down at Rin, who was on Ah-Un's back fast asleep, and Jaken, who was leaned against Ah-Un also sleep.

"I'm bored," Sesshomaru blinked, startled, at the sudden voice. He gaze snapped to Ah-Un in confusion but then followed the dragon's gaze and what he saw caused his eyebrows to shoot upwards. In the place of the small fox he knew as Yonbi was the larger more humanoid form of the fox demon he knew as Youko Kurama.

"You…" Sesshomaru started but then trailed off. Kurama looked at him. Their eyes locked and Sesshomaru frowned when he saw those same blank pools of gold that the kitsune's fox form held. It was nothing like the lively golds that he had saw when he first met the fox demon when he and Inuyasha had been wrestling in the forest.

"Lord Sesshomaru, may Yonbi wake Rin so we can play?" He asked. Sesshomaru's eyes actually widened at the request, totally taken off guard.

"…" He silently observed the fox demon. "Kurama?"

"Sesshomaru-sama can call me Yonbi," He answered back before falling backwards onto his back. He stared up at the sky silently. "Lord Sesshomaru, why are the clouds so puffy? They look heavy….are they heavy? Have you ever touched them? Can they be touched?" The fox demon rambled on with more questions about the sky and the clouds as Sesshomaru stared at him in utter confusion.

"Lord Sesshomaru?" Sesshomaru's gaze snapped to Rin who sat up rubbing her eye. She looked at the babbling fox demon and her eyes widened. "Sesshomaru-sama!" The fox looked at her and he smiled.

"Rin is awake!" Kurama exclaimed. "Sesshomaru-sama, may Yonbi and Rin go play?"

"Yonbi?" Rin asked, confusion clearly written across her face. Kurama smiled at her.

"Of course Yonbi is Yonbi, silly Rin," Kurama said with a laugh causing Rin to smile widely.

"Oh! Sesshomaru-sama can Rin and Yonbi play?" Rin exclaimed excitedly.

"Eh…" Sesshomaru was still confused. "Sure?" He watched the fox stand and stretch.

"Let's play in those flowers! Sesshomaru-sama can see us from there, right Sesshomaru-sama?" Rin asked. Sesshomaru nodded silently and watched the two make their way to the small patch of flowers. Sesshomaru turned his gaze to Jaken who had woken up some time ago. The toad demon looked equally baffled at the appearance of the fox demon they had met earlier.

"That is probably what that demon and Inuyasha were yelling about the other day!" Jaken squawked. Sesshomaru furrowed his brow and nodded.

* * *

***Meanwhile w/ Yusuke***

Yusuke cursed his as he walked from the well. He had no idea where the hell he was or where the hell he was going. He perked up when he saw something silver in a bush. "Kurama?" He asked. The silver fluff disappeared but then a head of silver popped out of the bush in place of the fluff. After a moment of staring at each other, the silver-haired demon walked out of the bush, a frown marring the adorable, cherub shaped face. Yusuke frowned slightly. This was not Kurama. It may be a fox demon but the last time he checked, Kurama was not a child. There was something eerily familiar about the child, but Yusuke couldn't place his finger on it.

The small fox walked towards Yusuke and stared up at him. "Uh…Hi…?" Yusuke asked slowly. The small fox grinned widely, showing off small fangs, and launched himself at Yusuke. "GAH! What the hell?" Yusuke held the fox at arm's length and stared at him. "What was that for, shrimp?"

"Hi!" The fox squealed. Yusuke couldn't help but smile at how adorable the fox was.

"Hey there….er…my name's Yusuke, you think you can help me find my friend?"

"Friend? Find?" The fox tilted his head to the side. "I help!" The fox squealed, flailing his arms around, causing Yusuke to chuckle. As soon as he sat the fox down, he bolted. Yusuke's eyes widened slightly.

"Hey! Wait up!" Yusuke cried, running after the fox. He reached down to waist to pull out the communicator to give Botan an update; however, he realized the communicator was no longer in his pocket. "What the fuck?" Yusuke skidded to a halt to pat himself down. His gaze shot up as he growled. "That sneaky little brat!" he shouted, realizing when the fox jumped at him, he must have snatched the device.

Yusuke growled as he lifted up logs and looked in bushes. He had lost sight of the fox kit. "Damn bratty fox," Yusuke snarled angrily. "Now what the hell am I supposed to do?" A low yip caught Yusuke's attention. He slowly made his way towards the source of the noise – which was a small cave. He peeked inside, squinting in the dim light of the cave. It was the kit! He was holding the pink communicator in his hand showing it to a large fox.

The fox picked its head up to regard the kit. "Where did you get that, kit?" The fox rumbled, to Yusuke's surprise.

"I stole it; took it from a human!" The kit squealed. "He couldn't catch me!" The kit then started giggling.

"Kurama!" The fox bellowed. Yusuke's eyes widened. The kit was Kurama? What the hell happened to him? "What did I tell you about going near the human villages alone?" The fox began to growl lowly. The kit – Kurama – looked down as his ears drooped.

"Not to go if you're not there," Kurama whispered. "But I didn't! Rogue human! I met the human out of the village," Kurama held the communicator up. "Papa, what is this?" With a swirl of energy, the fox turned into a more humanoid appearance. The fox had long flowing silver hair, porcelain pale skin, and narrow gold eyes. There were red markings on his face – one set resembling eye shadow – that ran across the top of his eye down to the bridge of his nose and 3 red dots on his forehead. He grabbed the pink device from his kit and looked at it.

"I am not too sure, kit," The fox mumbled. He suddenly looked up, his eyes meeting Yusuke's. "Who are you?" He didn't sound at all defensive, just curious.

"I…er…well…you see that pink thing is mine," Yusuke mumbled. _'How the hell did he see me?' _

"Ah!" The kit Kurama suddenly squealed, hiding behind his father who had sat up.

"I see…" The fox demon said. "Tell me, what is this thing my kit has stolen from you?" The fox demon patted the space in front of him. "Come sit," Yusuke eyed the fox warily. "You must think I am foolish for allowing a human I do not know close. I am anything but. The fact my plants did not devour you means you mean no harm to me or my kit. _'Where have I heard that one before?' _Yusuke thought drily. He gave an inward sigh before walking into the cave.

"My lord!" Rin screeched. Sesshomaru's gaze snapped up to see something large come from the ground. Sesshomaru quickly snatched Rin up but he frowned in confusion. Where was Kurama? His question was answered when he heard a yelp. He turned when he heard a plop and his eyes widened slightly at the strange demon slowly slinking closer to them. It looked jelly. It was blue and translucent. He could see the fox struggling inside of the demon. Sesshomaru growled. He jumped to Ah-Un and placed Rin down before jumping at the blob monster and cutting it in half. He caught the falling fox demon as he sputtered and choked up the blue glob stuff.

"Yonbi," Sesshomaru said silently. The fox demon coughed but then looked up at Sesshomaru with blank golden eyes that seemed to have a small trace of confusion in them.

"Yonbi is thankful of his lord for saving him," Kurama said with a large smile. Sesshomaru nodded to him, sitting the fox down. Kurama frowned as he looked himself over and then at Sesshomaru.

"Sesshomaru-sama and Yonbi need bathes," Rin giggled from her place on top of Ah-Un. Sesshomaru sighed.

"Indeed."

* * *

**Adoptive Author's Notes:**

You probably wouldn't believe that this chapter was originally 10,000 (10k, ten-thousand) words long. I cut a lot of stuff out of this chapter because how I had it ordered made no sense whatsoever. Anyway, I want to thank those who have been encouraging me to keep with this – especially you MissTuffcy :). I am; however, a little bit busy so this story may be updated a bit on the slow side. Even though it'll be slow updates, I'll make sure they are relatively long chapters. This is the last chapter that contains MissTuffcy's storyline. After this, it'll change up to be fully my version. Anyway, I've had another Inuyasha piece I've been fiddling around with. It's an answer to a challenge. I will be uploading it really soon so if you guys are interested, you can take a look. It's called Grand Theft Auto.


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